Install this upgrade to a new/blank SSD drive WITHOUT prior installation of retail version of XP/service pack 3 (prefered).
Você não tem permissão para fazer isso de acordo com a licença. A licença que você adquirir exigirá a instalação do Windows XP.
I have the retail purchased 32Bit XP installation media and I also have a slipstreamed disc that contains service pack 2. This 32bit XP license was installed to a desktop PC that I have NOT used for years (its broke).
Se for uma licença OEM, você não poderá migrá-la para a máquina em que deseja instalar o Windows 8.
Can I upgrade using the $40 download upgrade version from retail 32Bit XP to 64Bit Windows 8 directly to new SSD? without first installing 32bit XP to new SSD?
Legalmente, não
If 32bit XP needs to be installed to perform the upgrade to 64bit Win 8 is service XP service pack 3 still available; likewise, if the boxed retail version of XP 32bit is required to be pre-installed to the new SSD before attempting the downoladed $40 upgrade to 64Bit Win, can a clean install be performed or is a undesired actual upgrade performed?
Você precisa instalar a licença e, em seguida, selecionar "Instalação limpa", isso é tudo o que é necessário para instalar o Windows 8 x64.
From what I have read this is way to complicated. Ideally, I should be able to install $40 upgrade version Win 64bit directly to new/blank SSD, then during the license verification process enter both the Win8 64Bit upgrade key and retail XP 32bit key (over internet or phone call).
Não é complicado, você acabou de trazer o produto errado, a licença OEM do System Builder é o que você queria comprar.