I certainly hear ya on the economy. I started out wanting to go one way (heavy on the porterbuilt parts), then ended up buying a welder and budget parts.
I wish I had a dropmember and a C4 rear - and Porter's beautiful work. Instead, I have a Thunderbird SC rear end and a lot of ugly welds. But thanks to Porter's ingenuity and willingness to share his thoughts with people on this forum, I found strength to attempt my own.