Iaroslav Shubin

Hi Sunbeam! Yesterday night, I found this page and was fascinated by the journey. I'm here with a question regarding a 1972 fiat 125s Recently, I have come across a Carsales listing for a 1972 fiat 125s in Victoria, Australia (which is where I live). The car is listed for A$7,500 and has almost 90k on the odometer. It has been shedded for the past couple of years, after being bought from Sydney. https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1972-fiat-125-special-manual/SSE-AD-17929137/ In the breif description, the owner states that it is rust free, and that he isn't sure about the history of the car. From the photos you can tell that the car was stored in a huge barn, along with many other classics which can be seen in the background. I have recently fallen in love with this car, maybe it's something to do with my european nature, but I have been dreaming about owning it, driving, working on it ect. However there is a bit of a twist. I am 16 years old, have never owned a car and don't have great access to tools or a garage. None of my family memebers are interested in cars, with me being an exception. For however long I can remember - I have always anjoyed automobiles and found older cars (<2000) interesting. With that, come slight knowledge of fixing things, working on motorcycles for fun and exploring mechanisms, however experience is clearly lacking. My question is wether it's a smart idea for a person like me to drive 4+ hours to check out the seemingly "faultless" fiat, drive the fiat back and expect a reliable, fun and unique classic without spending much more than the asking price (in the sense of parts, replacements ect...) Since you are rather experienced with these cars, should I be expecting a rust free, perfectly running fiat for $7,500? or would I be sitting in the engine bay, with a welder - patching up rusts spots and pooring thousands into replacement parts within the first years of ownership. My intuition is telling me that buying such a car without much experience is a terrible idea, almost certanly resulting in financial troubles, and it rotting away on the streets from lack of use and harsh weather. Yet the second half of me says to not miss out on such a deal, (as other examples are over 2x $$), and simply go for it. I have not yet consulted with my parents, as i am not sure of how to approach the situation, and wether to a bystander the situation seems ludicrous. I do not yet have the full funds for the car (if any) and will likely need their support, which i will be slowly paying back over time. If the car turns out to be a shitbox, constantly on jackstands, then the money situation will be a bad one to be in, which is why i'm asking for your experienced opinion. I want to thank you for your time in reading this essay I spat out in emotion, and hopefully you can get back to me before the poor thing goes to someone else. Cheers!