>My strategy is going to be to try to buy a good used radiator which I
>can take to a modern, high-tech radiator shop (oxymoron or what ;^) and

How's about taking out your old radiator, going to a junkyard and saying
"gimme one like this with a radiator cap pls".  You might get lucky enough
to find an alternative Nor Amer. brand radiator that would work, plus
eliminates the bleeding/fill problems totally.  Then buy a new one for 1/3
of VWs cost. Long shot, but the rest of us would like to know :) I was
amazed at the amount of aluminium coloured crud/water that came out of mine
when I flushed it with Prestone, it must be getting thin in places.  bye, tim