Yes, the VQ35DE is all aluminum, but it also has 2 massive cylinder heads with double overhead cams and 4 valve/cyl, verses the compact pushrod cam-in-block LS1. The LS1 even has a compact plastic intake manifold versus the multi-piece sprawled-out manifold on the 350 - I've personally held just the upper manifold section of a 350Z and I must say it has to weigh at least 30lb alone, nearly as much as an assembled LS1 cylinder head. Besides, my comment was made with consideration payed to the twin-turbo setup he has on his 350Z. With the two turbos he has on the car and all supporting hardware like intercooler, iron manifolds, wastegates, etc, the scales are most definitly tipping in favor of the LS1 in engine weight. It might be giving up a couple cylinders to a v8, but there's "more engine" there in the end, especially with the add-on turbo kit.
Obviously, an LS1 swap in a 350z would be a lot more trouble than it's worth and certainly wouldn't save near as much wieght as in the case of the iron-head, iron block sbc in the Corvette displayed on the Bubba Drift site, but my point was that there are appreciable merits to swapping an ls1 in place of heavier motors that produce less power as those fellows appear to have done, and calling them "morons" for it is rather nonsensical.
