Honestly, and please don't take offense to this, but at your age I would hold off for a few more years, unless you are hardcore to the bone.
While this is a simple swap, it requires having two cars, the 4 banger car, and the 5.0 donor car. It also takes a LOT of time, lots and lots. I helped my friend convert his 88 4 banger notch from an auto 4 banger to a 5.0 5 speed. It took him about 2-3 weeks. He's as hardcore as it gets. That was doing maybe a couple of leisurly hours after work each day, then a last big sat/sunday hoorah.
this is a daunting task, and if you are not hardcore, you could wind up sending two cars to the junker.
What needs to be done??
strip the mechanicals on the four banger down to the shell. Pull the engine, the trans, the front brakes, and spindles, pull the engine wiring harness out, the ecu and harness out, the fuel injection lines, and the rear end out, as well as the springs, front and rear, and steering rack.
for a "proper" swap, you'll need to swap in the 5.0, the t5 (or aod), complete v8 fuel lines from the front to the rear, then drop the tank, put in the v8 fuel pump, possibly the sending unit too (i forget). Change the steering rack AND pump out to the v8 style, swap in the engine harness from the v8, unless you want to cut and splice your four banger. swap in the ecu and harness, swap in the 8.8 rear and springs. I'd also swap in the v8 front springs, unless you do a lot of drag racing, then you could leave those in to help with the launch. Additionally, swap the spindles and brakes on from the v8. Some brake line mods might have to be done, I forget, but it's minimal. If going from a 4 banger auto to a t5 powered 5.0, then you'll have to swap in the t5 harness, and clutch pedal assembly and so on and so on. It's a VERY straight forward swap with no bs, and is EXTREMELY rewarding, and gives you the chance to build your car from the ground up, but do be aware of the amount of work that must go into this.
