273, or 318?

The reason why I'm staying away from cars with heavy rust is because I can't weld / do body work and I can't afford to have it done either
I understand. Those can be learned skills. Car clubs have people with all kinds of talents and many will share their knowledge and help out. The less rust to start is much easier to deal with. Try watching Fitzees Fabrications. He breaks tasks down to make them simple with basic tools and some patience.