Originally Posted by artclone

I would keep fit and bike condition as your priorities. After that, look for something as original as possible (looks like you know that), which adds to resale value and makes it easier to sourcce parts.

Schwinn has some Panasonic-made really sweet bikes and Fujis, Univega, and Miyatas can be very nice too. The mid-eighties seem to be the sweet spot for what you are looking at. Familiarize yourself with the frame materials and components that came with the mid- to upper end bikes. Checking out catalog scans is a great way to fritter away your life.