Hey aarman4,
Yes, the synthetic oil is costly, but anything that keeps the baby running smoothly is worth it ... imho.
That "light bulb in a coffee can under the oil pan" remark brought back some memroies. That old '88 Celica Turbo 4WD I had also did not have a block heater (Toyota claimed the engine compartment was too packed to be able to fit it in ... go figure). Anyways, I did have to resort to the light bulb trick on one occasion. That's when I found a magnetic base block heater that simply attached to the outside of the oil pan. I think I got it at Canadian Tire, but that was back many years ago. Something to check on though ... you just have to remember to remove it before you drive away ;)
Cheers,
Bossman