hey all long time lurker, newly registered because i need some help/advice. and if this is in the wrong spot my apologies

now this is a doozy so ill get the back story out of the way.

back in 2016 me and my uncle started our gambler 500 race truck build the plan was to race in 2017. we stumbled upon my neighbors wrecked pathfinder. brand new tires and was slammed in the front and the rear. he wanted 1000, we felt 300 was a better deal. he was a shrewd negotiator.

so we settled right in the middle at 300 bucks.
we tore the bumpers off, new battery, fixed the heated leather seats, fixed the heater, new fuel pump, added a shopping cart for a roof rack and welded some bumpers on. then raced. we made it onto dirt every days gambler 500 episode as the first thing you see in the episode. and she has since made every gambler 500 race. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJOP6MvSV8

now i sold it to my co pilot when i acquired my lifted fj55 land cruiser for $56 as that is what i am racing in 2019.

here is the fun part.

i am always on the look out for more cars and trucks. and down the way i saw a black Nissan pathfinder. 1996 with the swing out tire carrier and i wanted it so bad but the old guy did not want to sell. so i forgot about it. 2 years later my dad comes in and tells me the old guy wants to give me the pathfinder. we swing down and tow er back. clean tittle, windows roll up ad down, doors lock, and the factory stereo works. whats not to love? so i begin by replacing the fuel filter and the fuel pump. helpful posts here so i came back and followed some of the tutorials. obd2 threw the iac valve tore the intake off and cleaned everything up. slapped the intake back on, cleaned all the sensors and changed all the fluids. and she coughed to life.

and started pissing coolant out the exhaust pipe.

so here is my dilemma and my plan
i was able to get the gambler 500 pathfinder back its a vg3.3
the new black pathfinder is a vg3.3
so i want to swap the engine and part the gambler out to recoup the 400 its cost me so far in the 2 trucks.
its is straight forward and easy.
but i want to know from people who have done any engine swaps or head work what parts SHOULD be replaced while i have access to the entire engine? what WOULD you replace if you where given the chance? any tips or tricks? what upgrade would you do given the chance while the engines out?

my current plan is take it out, new valve cover gaskets, new intake gaskets, plugs, timing belt, water pump, and seeing about a freeze plug style block heater

Welcome to NICOclub. It seems like the most interesting adventures have a way of finding you.
I was floored at the point where the man GAVE you the car he had refused to sell you earlier... till the coolant came up, hehe.

Anyway, I'm gonna copy your post over to the R50 forum as well in case someone has done what youre trying to achieve. Otherwise, look in the frontier subforum as well.