i didn't know you're in TX! i'm in Dallas. you should definitely come to the
5th Annual TX 3S Gathering, held in Dallas August 17-19. you could ride in a few VR4s and maybe a few FWD TT cars. best way to learn is to be around what you're interested in.
i won't say either way whether you should get a VR4 or do the TT conversion. it all depends on what you want. pros and cons for both. but the maintenance on a VR4 is definitely more involved, more expensive, and more of a pain in the ass....and this is coming from a guy (me) who has owned an NA for 4 years, but i've also done a LOT of work on VR4s.
if you decided to get a VR4, the hardest part will be finding one that has been maintained well, and then that car will cost a pretty penny. you can find a cheap one, but be prepared to spend $1k up front on maintenance/repairs. if you do the work yourself, you could save a lot of money, otherwise you better start saving.
hopefully Igovert500, YoungVR4, and some other VR4 owners will chime in.