After the delicate use of a small pneumatic cutoff wheel, I was able to remove the old bracket. It cleaned up pretty well and a quick coat of paint is now drying.
The parts I used were from Chevs of the 40's. I'm not sure the word cheap can be used to describe the price tag. The frame itself is of excellent quality and seems to be worth the effort. I did splurge on the chromed one. The repo center bar looks ok, but time will tell if it lasts. The repo bracket to the center strap is not the best. It works but isn't nearly as stout as the old one and is pretty soft.