New to the site and celicas learning as I go Options

[hs2g]

Hey guys, I'm new to the toyota scene. I have been a honda guy for a couple of years now and thought it was time to find something new.

Well I purchased a 97 celica GT convertable with 75000miles. Is it me or is the car just slow? It feels slower than my honda civic ex. Well i have $1000 to mod it. I looked on jdm motor sites (sevenstarJDMmotors.com) that a 3s-ge motor is only for $550? The 3s-ge motor has vvti correct? so its kind of like the honda vtec motors? I read the feasable motor swaps and this motor just bolts right into my 6th gen celica? So with this motor and labor to install, will it be around $1000 give/take a few hundred.

If not the swap, I was planning on going with basic mods (headers, intake, exhaust) maybe put a dry nitrous kit (50 shot)for weekends (but very rarely I will use it) maybe once or twice a week. My goal is running in the low 15's or better. I'm a pretty good driver.

[hs2g]

Yea i was thinking about turboing the motor and have came across the burien turbo kit. But it cost 2500 plus intercooler, installed, and street tuned will be aroun 3-4000 Thats way out of the ball park. I don't know much about toyota parts but if I can put together a good quilty custom turbo kit for about 1500 I will sureley save up and do it.

Any suggestions on parts? I hear people use parts from the 3s-gte motor to turbo the 5sfe. Well thats what I read on the forums but don't kno how much that would run me including install.

If turbo is over 1500 then I'll just stick with basic bolt ons. Can that get me into the 15's. The 6th gen celicas running 16's correct?