Deleted

Easy. Strip the good engine down to bare block.
Transfer all that stuff from your blown engine over to the "new" engine.

The late model 96 is almost if not identical to the 98. Take a good look at the intake manifold and power steering pump and bracket. Take good pictures..if same reuse as is. The throttle body may be different. Some have a rt angle plug and some have a straight plug..both should have the map sensor on the throttle body and not on the firewall. Does your replacement head have the separate temp sensor for the coolant gauge..buried left side 3/4 back ..if so there will be no place to plug it in on your 98. No issues I think the injectors are also the same.

will the temp gauge still work if the back temp sensor isn’t plugged in?

Are you saying your 96 has a temp gauge sending unit on the driver's side back of the head but the 98 doesn't?

There should be a brass/steel plug installed in that hole on the 98...remove the plug and install a sensor, otherwise you will not have ant temp indication.I believe the 96/98 use same head casting but they put a blanking plug in the sensor hole

I think the heads were either drilled or not.