yeah anodising doesn't make a shell, even if it does anodising still scratches off pretty easily so I doubt it would have any form of structural strength.
I land on my z510HX all the time, works fine still
510's are proper meaty and cheap, but stretch a bit when you first get them. I've always ran them over z610's. Not sure why, I just always have.
Not many engagements on the XC hubs, which is what he wants to change the hub for.
Wouldn't run a mtb hub either, as it's just gunna either feel shit or explode sooner and have to be replaced again
Get a hope pro 2 off here or pinkbike cheap, either as a whole weel or just the hub and build it yourself
Would be a more straightforward method than going front freewheel and changing your whole drivetrain