AB, the car you want is out there. I bought something like what you are looking for this past March in LA. 83 SC Coupe, driver quality. Clean title and history, original paint, decent interior, however very high miles, sandblasted front end, a few shallow dents that could be taken care of by a paintless dent removal guy, and lots and lots of little mechanical needs. Bought it for a decent price and overall I got what I paid for.
My strategy was just staying on top of all the classifieds (CList, Pelican, Rennlist, Excellence, Autotrader, etc.) as well as having a few enthusiast friends keeping an eye out. Have cash ready and also be ready to make the call and go see the car at the drop of a hat. The Clist ad for my car disappeared 18 hours after it was posted because I went to see the next morning and put down a deposit.
Just keep at it and you will find it.
