it's ok if you got a DSM, just as long as you don't have the fantasy of driving it all the time. If it's gonna be a project car, then make it into one, don't think you just gonna get a 1000 dollar car and be able to run it at the track every sunday, ANY car you buy for that amount will need alot of work.
DSM would be a good learning tool also, there's alot of backround info on the internet, cd-shop manual's are easy to come by and for the most part everyone know's at least one or two other people with a dsm.