Can someone point me in the right direction? Apologies if this has been asked many times before, I've done some searching here but havent found what I'm looking for...

I want to build a bike for fun, never built a bike before, it's over my head but I want to learn. I've decided I want to go fixie. I'm hoping it's easier and after reading Sheldon's I'm psyched to do it!

So the question is, what are the typical makes and models for a project fixie? I'm trawling thrift stores and I want to make sure I find something worth doing a project on, and not come home with a total piece o' crud 80's version of a Target bike. And since I'm a first-timer, I'm looking for something with standard sized fittings, and threads, and yadda yadda what nots, to keep it simple.

For example, a quick search on Craigslist for 'Schwinn' shows Varsities and Collegiates for around 50 bucks. But would that work for me or am I looking for something better?

Any suggestions appreciated!

Thanks,

John