parts are still available at some wreckers, if you order anything from honda expect to wait 8 weeks to get it from japan. you can swap in any honda motor from 74-83 (except the 83 prelude) so that opens things up a little. the best is to get on the message board at
www.1stgencivic.com/ with these old honda's it's about finding the people with the parts and most of them hang out there. they're fun little cars tho and i hope you do take it on as a project, do some reading around at 1stgencivic and you'll learn the roped pretty quickly.