yes old columbus tubed steel or most reynolds steel frames are pretty solid.. I have a few Merckx frames from late 80 - early 90's that have been rock solid for all that time.. You just need to inspect a frame and check for visible rust or rust bubbles.. If the frame is rust free you are good to go on most steel frames. I would buy a can of Jp Weigle's Frame Saver to help keep it that way in the future.

Lots of nice deals on old steel frames on Craigslist.