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Get a new gearbox housing...sounds expensive, considering I paid $50 for the bike and its just gonna be something to thrash on the farm...I'll give the solder a go, and if that doesn't last then I'll look further

Yeah I tried welding aluminium a few months ago (gearbox housing from my '69 corona was snapped in half) but the aluminium wire wasn't strong enough to feed through the MIG, it just bunched up in the feed mechanism...so the corona's on blocks until I come across a cheap bearbox.

I laughed when I read that the wire bunches up in the mig. Brought back memories ages spent re feeding the wire through the mig on many occasions, wasting half a roll of wire, and in the end welds that look like bird poo and just as strong as it.
Solder wont stick to Alluminium.
We used to use Quick steel or Knead It to fix the corroded water pump housings on our old postie bikes. If you cant get some of that just use Ariledite. Clean and scratch up the surface good so that it sticks and then whack it all back together to continue on riding.
Cheers Steve

Silicone works good to. You know when you put an A14/15 head on an A12 you have to drill a new oil callery for the rocker gear. Well I drilled at the wrong angle and just came through the side of the head. I filled it with silicone and its been fine for at least 2 years now.
olboy