I have the street bushings for what its worth
Honestly for the amount of labor involved in making the switch I feel like its a buy once cry once scenario. Unless you are seeing tons of great reviews on the cheapest kit I would spend the extra money for a known quality.
Also lifetime warranty...
i hear you on getting old man, my left bicep still gives me the occasional twinge from some suspension work a month ago.......
i guess its better than being dead
I wouldn't take the time to do vvt until you have investigated the vibration. No sense doing all that work on a blown motor. If the vibration is a bent rod it will get worse pretty quickly
im shocked you didnt know this, i forget who it was but someone on the old forum took a bunch of measurements with and without a torque plate and all measurements were well within the margin of error.
do you actually need a torque plate? for example you dont need one on the speed due to the threads on the head studs being below the piston in the block