Are 1949 Chrysler Crown Imperials good cars?

I want to buy an old car where I live and an old man is selling one. It comes stock and it does not have the original seats. The engine is stock as well. It looks fairly in good shape except for a few rust spots(no rust holes). I was wondering if it was a good car to have? I don't know if it starts. I'm not looking to restore it but I could when I get a little money. I was planning on trading a non-running but could be fixed to run 1994 Ford Pickup, a Yamaha 4-wheeler(don't know the year) and a 1919 Ford model T engine for it. Will this be enough to buy it? Is it worth it or am I biting off more than I can chew. BTW, it's my first car if I get it. I love old cars and I want one(1900's to 1950's mostly) or could there be an alternative cheaper old car that some of you guys may have?(1900's-1950's?)

Do I need a new car battery?

I was driving home from work last night in my 01 Ford Tauras. I was maybe 5 minutes from home when my headlights went full and were flashing. My blinkers were full and were faster than normal. When I came to a stop the car had almost died when I accelerated. My question is that is there something severely wrong with my car or do I just need a new battery?