I'd be more interested in the debate if we were all sitting around the CAD station designing a new car. In that situation it would be a worthwhile discussion. However, when we're working on 50 year old cars and have limited options I think it is better to focus on what can be done given the choices.

I'm lucky enough to have a bigger budget, bigger shop and more tools than most guys but I still don't have unlimited time, money, tools, talent, etc. So if I'm going to get a project done I have to work with what I can buy, make, modify, etc. in the budget and time that I have.

If I was designing a new core support from scratch I wouldn't use 12 ga steel but I don't have the time to design my own part and I don't have a big enough brake to bend it. So yeah, maybe it is overkill but so what. I don't really care if there is an extra 5 lbs on the front of the car. It solved a bunch of other problems for me so it was worth it.

I don't think there is anyone on this board who has the ability to fabricate every part they need. I have the tools and resources to fabricate a lot of parts, but it would cost a fortune to custom build every single part so I have to be very strategic about what I custom build vs. what I buy.