I bought 1/2 of a N3781V, a 1949 Cessna 140A, in July of 1997.  It had been sitting, wingless, in a hangar in Livermore for seven years.  Its owner decided to try and get it back in the air again, but he needed money to get it going.  After a few weeks, we got it back in the air and really enjoyed it for a couple of years.  The 140A is a great airplane, one of the first all-metal planes.  Here's a great Cessna 120/140 site and some personal experience stats: 

Engine:  Continental C-90, 90/95 HP continuous/takeoff

Cruise speed: 115 mph

Fuel Burn: 4-5 gph

Useful load:  650 pounds (yes, that's right - compare that to the Cessna 150/152 at 540 pounds - with full fuel only about 390 pounds o' people.  That training wheel up front costs ya)

Crosswind component:  15 knots officially, 25+ knots attainable.  The rudder on this baby is quite effective.  I could land in crosswinds that would have been very difficult in my C172.

This plane is a real sweetheart, and I really miss its effective rudder.  Contrary to popular belief, it is not that difficult to learn to fly a conventional gear plane.  It was a great starter plane for me.