commuting on a trek 830
My apologies if any of this is obvious, but I have not biked since I was a teenager (35 now).
I am considering biking the 17 miles to work each day instead of driving. I've got an old Trek 830 Antelope someone gave me, and I stripped it down totally because the components were old/rusty/dried up/etc. Looks like I need to replace the chainring, bottom bracket, chain, rear sprockets (is that "cassette"?), possibly the rear hub itself, and all the bearings throughout. Probably the brakes too, though I'm thinking of putting only the front brake back on. Basically, I'm keeping the frame, handlebars, cranks, wheels, and seat.
Several questions:
Is this too outdated to pursue, and would I be better off buying another used bike somewhere?
Is there some way to identify what year bike this is?
How can I tell which new components will fit it? Are some of the components standard-sized?
Am I crazy to try to commute 17 miles through Cobb County in Atlanta?
Thanks for any help and advice...very much appreciated.