Tools & Fabrication - welding a sway bar question

I picked up a nice 98 saturn l sedan for $700 bones from an old lady. Will make a nice winter gas saver car. The sway bar is attached to the lowercontrol arm through a ball joint. The ball joint threads into the hollow sway bar. Well, the bolt is stripped and the bolt hole is also stripped out. I do a little welding on the side with an ac220 buzz box and a hobart 180handler mig. Do you think a weld would hold the stripped ball joint bolt in the sway bar?

Its hard to say without pictures but it doesnt sound like a very good idea. Those are pretty common in pick-a-parts out here, not sure about your area. I would think you could get the parts and fix it right fairly cheap.

helicoil ?