New Radiator?

Is it cheaper in Southern California to get an entire radiator than to recore?

Not really. I'm from NorCal. You can buy a new 2 core radiator from Radiators.com for about $105 delivered to your door with a better warranty than any repair. 3 cores are barely any more money.

There are a couple of radiator shops left around down here but unless they work on something really unique (custom radiators, construction equipment) it's so cheap for a new radiator relative to the savings my customers just buy a new one with a warranty these days.

I had my radiator fixed in my Jeep when I lived in Corcoran by the local guy and it cost me $85. I busted it again six months later after I'd moved, and got a OE replacment radiator for $105 and decided that I was done fixing radiators.

I did recore a radiator in Davis one time on a D6C for about $1500 when the damper came apart. A new one was close to $6K!
 
First thing you need to do is get some after market gauges to monitor the coolant temp...the original gauges are worthless...that will give you an accurate idea of how hot that car is getting..normal operating temp should be around 180 to 190...then you can go from there