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.