[19psi]

There's nothing mysterious about maintaining and repairing these cars. Most of the guys that claim that "have a mechanic".
There are also many good sources for new parts and the cost for just about anything is reasonable. They won't be Chevy Cavalier cheap but they will be right on par with any modern car such a Camry.

As far as car prices...I live in the Chicagoland area and $3,000 is going to get you a high mileage project car. Less than $3,000 and the odds of you getting it home without a flatbed are next to zero. You can usually get them drivable for a reasonable amount but unless you invest in an interior, bodywork and new paint (big co$t), ya sorta look like a poser.

In my area a NICE low mileage (less than 60K) 78 to 86 is going to run from $6K to low teens.
Hard to touch an 86.5 on up for under $10K. Keep in mind I'm talking about cars that have been well maintained, garaged kept their entire life, stored winters, have perfect bodies and interiors void of cracked dashes and trashed seats.