help with radiator replacement

Be real careful about aggressively flushing old cooling systems. Pretty easy to dissolve rusty old freeze plugs, then you have a big problem.

In that case, the freeze plugs needed to be addressed anyway.

If it happens at home, awesome.

If it happens out on the road, not so good.........

For any engine I have out, for a rebuild or swap - brass plugs go in if the steel originals are still in it.