I got a pin hole leak on the side where it mates to the plastic.
Not sure if this can be JB filled. I will try to fix the rad when
I pull it off.

Question, are the all aluminum rads worth the extra money
over the aftermarket plastic capped copies of the OEM ?

$100 USD vs $300 USD

The welded version isn't really worth the money on a normal application. If you were turbocharged and were boosting the hell out of it, risking a head gasket failure which would pressurize the cooling system, a welded version may be desired.