Q: motor went bad, will a 3800, in the later Buick's bolt up?

This 3.8 ran like a top,The entire car has never seen salt or snow and rides like new one. I have put over 10,000 miles on it and have all the service records, I am the 2nd owner, had the oil changed and could not be there, was up sold to a high mileage oil, in this 30 year old motor. left on a 800 mile trip. no lights on dash till the old 3.8 at 750 miles into the trip came on, and motor sounded like a jack hammer was on top of it. There was only a small ping like bad gas just before. So, years ago I had a 3800 GM motor, seemed to be bullet proof, put 150000 miles on it was still a good motor when I sold it. Can a 3800 bolt in place of a 3.8? I have always believed never love something that can not love you back. but I am having a hard time just letting the old car go.

My car has 102000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.