Hi all,

I'm just starting into cycling and I aquired a 1982 Schwinn Contenintal that I'm restoring. I want to make sure I can sit on a bike for multiple hours before investing too much money into a newer bike! I've made pretty good progress on taking it all apart and cleaning it, but have a few questions. This is my first bike project and I took it to a bike shop to get an estimate to get it in working order. They said it would be about $400, so I decided to see what I could do myself before taking it back. I need to replace the Front derailleur and replace the cables and housing for the gears. Any ideas on where I can find a compatible derailleur for a decent price? Also, would it likely be best to let the bike shop do the cables and housing? Other than these two components, I think I can do everything else...

You have a good plan.
I started on a $15, 82 Nishiki, rode it 1500 miles, then bought a new bike.