I haven't seen any down your way for $300-500 when looking at the Auto & RV. Maybe check out Craigslist. Craigslist has some cars in that range under the Indianapolis section. From what I've seen of section I usually check out, they usually go pretty quickly.
If the car is big enough at 300-400 dollars it is scrap bait. Heck the caddy converter is 45 alone. Chush and ship to china to be made into cheap toys with lead paint.
Speaking of scrap I see you are in greenfiedl. Have you called fields junkyard. They used to have used driveables there fairly cheap. Bob fields always gave me rocking deals because he used to see me at the races at Anderson Speedway.
i haven't tried fields yet but good idea! and thanks for all the input guys
as far as the jetta do you know what a water pump cost and if its a sideways engine thanks but no thanks lol just got done doing one of those and it wasn't very fun... taking half the engine out to get to it! lol but ill do some research and find out! thanks all!