can a 4.0 SOHC be replaced with a 4.0 L pushrod motor?

OK, so this is a little backwards, I've got a 1996 EB Explorer that has about 38,000 miles on it. My wife was kind enough to park it on it's side, so the body is pretty twisted. Runs great and drives fine. Now here's the problem, I found a 97 EB Explorer that has a blown motor, that motor is a 4.0 liter SOHC. I'm trying to find out if I can put my 4.0 liter pushrod motor in it without giving myself too much grief. Oh and the biggest thing is that this has to be a CHEAP project. I can get the 97 body for $1000. Can't spend too much more on this project, being that this is an extra car now. Thanx

It is possible yes, but dont do it, for the amount of work involved to get it to work right I would just go with a replacement SOHC, fix the SOHC you have or go 5.0L V8.
Spend $1000 on a low mileage running take out SOHC. Perform the TSB's on the engine while its out if they have not been done (timing tensioner) and install it.

Sell the OHV drivetrain (trans is worth $$$) to help pay for it.

IMO not worth the effort, because basically you are doing a conversion, including wiring, and the transmission may be difficult to get to work properly with the pushrod 4.0L.....

Why not simply swap bodies (put the '97 body on the '96 frame)? It should bolt right up provided you could raise it high enough to clear the motor.

You'll have to swap GEM modules and many other modules to your vehicle in order to do a 4.0 OHV to SOHC swap.

Blee, thats a SOHC to OHV swap.

Doing a OHV to SOHC conversion you would not have to swap any GEM modules that I am aware of, the GEM modules may talk to the PCM, but a 97 explorer has a 97 GEM module no matter which 4.0L engine it came with....

the Gen I trucks didnt have the GEM modules, so doing a SOHC conversion into one of those requires no GEM modules., the engine and trans are independant of the GEM module functions. My 88 is OBD-II and I still have no GEM modules I do have a electric shift computer, but it interfaces with the 96 PCM through the NSS, 4x4 shift and BOO wires that any EEc-IV or EEC-V comp will have.