i have had shops not want to touch it because it was old. i have brazed holes in rads several times. sometimes it works sometimes not. they are right sometimes new holes pop right up. i always like the idea of a new rad, i would try to get it to work. if you try to braze the rad and it leaks somwhere else, what did you loose in trying?? but i bet the new rad will cool better than the old. good luck. hr