Very difficult to repair a broken weld properly. Older steel frames were brazed together which didn't affect the steel tubes as much and can be plausibly repai

Very difficult to repair a broken weld properly. Older steel frames were brazed together which didn't affect the steel tubes as much and can be plausibly repaired with map gas and brazing rods. Broken welds on thin steel tube happen on these bikes because the steel was overheated and compromised. Very difficult even for an experienced welder and you have no idea whether another weld is ready to fail. The consequences range from mild to catastrophic. If your front fork fails at speed it could be a potentially fatal crash. Add to that the stripped threads, poorly machined parts, inadequate brakes etc. Bike snobs have long avoided these trash piles for safety reasons alone. An OK quality bike boom bike from the 1980s will likely outlive you if stored out of the rain.