My Granada needs a new brain

I love my Granada, but the straight-six is getting on my nerves. I was thinking of buying a 302 or a 351 (can't fit a big block in there). Now, I want to be able to get around 300hp without a supercharger. I think that is managable. I also want to replace the C4 with a 5spd manual. I hear Tremec makes good trannys.

I have a few questions:

Is an engine/tranny swap something a noob like myself can do with a couple of friends and a book?

About how much can I expect to pay for the parts (including performance mods to acheive said 300hp)

What performance parts work the best with a 302 or 351 for the least money. I'd rather not sacrifice reliability, as this is my daily driver, so no superchargers or such.

Thanks for the help

I'd go with the 302. Cheap, plentiful, and easy to make power. Great engine.

You should probably check the Ford specific forum for the best advice.