$2002 seems to be appropriate.
What kind do you want? Regular 2002 (cheap), Tii (more pricey), 2002Turbo (expensive). Or go off the wall retro and get a 1600 (the really old ones)or a 2000Ti (four-door, fairly rare, expensive parts)
Think about how you might go looking for something like, say a VW Beetle (the old 'uns).
Engines are plentiful, easy to work on and can put down some power if neccesary (which it is).
Make sure the body is free of rust and bondo, you can find 'em if you try.
Watch the paint for bubbles, and whatnot.
Shock towers are a good starting point to look for rust.
Interiors are pretty much the same for all cars. Look for cracks in the dash, rips in the seats, whatever....
Basically just go get one. They're quite plentiful, can do wonderous things on the road and are an icon in automotive history.