Like you say, this thread is 'bout a TT swap but alot of NA owners and TT owners with blown engines or whatever do have other options.
1. Right, the TT is a direct dropin for a NA and parts, no problem. This would be my first choice.
2. Wrong, the VH45DE, VH41DE and VK45DE are used in most of the Infiniti cars plus in the Nissan trucks and SUV's. As for price, a Z32 TT clip runs around $2,500 to $3,800 whereas the VH45DE is around $850, being more available. Supply and demand crap.
3. Wrong, the cost of the clip plus the upgrades to match the performance of the VH45 would be:
VG30TT
a. $2,500 TT frontend clip
b. $1,200 good exhaust
c. $500 upgrade ECU
d. $200 POP intake
Total $4,400 give or take a few hundred
VH45DE
a. $850 VH45DE engine
b. $100 stock bellhousing from VH45 engine to VG30 transmission
c. $1,000 ECU and wireing harness for VH45
d. $300 4 row radiator
e. $500 for fab motor mounts and odds an ends
Total $2,750 give or take a few hundred
4. Wrong, the race prepped VH45 engine with a "mere" 450 HP only had a POP intake and headers with 3" exhaust, no cats. To go beyond, quite simple. Put a Eaton M112 supercharger with a 130 F Delta output temp @10 boost. and 650HP with a cost of $1,500. And we still haven't opened the engine yet.
What does it cost to make this much power from a VG30 engine.
And were forgetting that the VH45 is 100lbs. lighter than a VG30 engine. The Z32 is alittle on the heavy side.
5. Kinda right, it would be a unique swap, but engineering wise, the swap would make the car lighter with the ability to make more power if you chose to go that route. As for having to much money, they would save plus have a newer engineered engine still in production, and it is NISSAN.
6. You couldn't be more correct. This tread is 'bout swaping a TT and not a VH45. And I wouldn't suggest anyone doing a VH45 swap unless they had the knowledge and ability to do it.
As for myself I want both, I'm not greedy, I just love the Z's. My intention wasn't to muddy the waters, but to add another choice. Life is all a matter of choices, some good and some not so.
See you at the finish line.