This would be a good bike to learn wheel building. It can be done cheaply if you don't plan on making a career out of it. You can use the frame for truing, stacks of books for dishing, and a musical ear for tension. If you happen to find a new alloy rim with the same ERD, lacing is simple--tape the new rim to the old and transfer spokes one at a time. Otherwise, get someone else to double-check your spoke calculations.