Hi Sadie! Sounds like you are picking the Contessa 26 for the same reasons I did: she will take care of you when the weather gets nasty, and we get some quickly nasty weather on the Pacific West (Wet!) Coast. Also, she has the capability to take you anywhere, but is perfectly happy to daysail around the bay...or do overnighters while you get used to her. Plus, I also am a new sailor, and I always single-hand her and I have found it very easy...I taught myself how to sail her!
Yes, the later models lowered the sole (As J&J metioned it was in 1979, so likely why the 1978 is cheaper) and they added hatches and built a few more lockers around the chainplates and for the anchor...but you can always do those things yourself...and the headroom doesn't matter in your case! ;-)
John Vigor's book "20 Small Boats to Take you Anywhere" did it for me when I was looking for a safe, capable boat for me...I mean, my first time out, it took me two hours to carefully put the sails up, and I forgot to tighten the outhaul etc!! Yet she was happily sailing along, obediently tacking, and barely needed a finger on the tiller, even when a "gust" (in my newbie view) of 10k came along and she would heel over and I would release the mainsheet in a panic!! Now, I realize after she's had her lee rail in the water for awhile, and when my carefully stowed continers start falling to the floor, I know it's time to shorten sail! And, she will always make her way through chop and contrary current, as her full keel and good sized rig, coupled with her narrow beam and fine entry will keep her gliding through the waves instead of bashing into them...my teacher who helped me bring her home after I bought her was so amazed at her ability to go through 4' standing waves at a notorious pass in my area that he was pretty well hollering "yahoo!" Plus, if you need to claw off a lee shore, she will respond, and will also glide gently along even in 1k puffs of wind...so yes, go for it, and you will fall in love with your boat when you realize how capable she is, and yes, everyone you know will think you are crazy!
“You get a boat for only one reason, because you want one. If you’re worried about being practical, forget boats.”