VW front beams were and are used in rods all the time and they will hold a v8 up no prob. Have look where it sits on my bus and then add up all that weight plus 2 people sitting directly over it. ( I weigh 240)

They are available in aluminum and chromoly and if you shave the shock horns off it loses most of its ugly. Actually the aluminum ones with out shock towers look pretty damn good. I've seen them on drag racers and they take the pounding of being pulled off the ground over and over. Like anything there are god aluminum one and bad aluminum ones.

One of my fav things about it is once its converted to an adjustable beam (like the one I have installed) I can drop my front end 4 inches in 20 minutes and reverse it just as quick.

Go to www.volksrods.com and you can see a shitload of em used in all kinds of wild friggin rides..