Sept 97 will be a MY98. They were the first year with a transponder. Your car will have the white faced gauges and a centre glovebox on the dash, correct?

When you say it starts and then cuts out, does it run for about 5 seconds?
Had that issue with my 98 when I first built it. Not sure if there is a way to bypass it at all but you can buy a matched key, barrel and ECM from a wrecked car and you should be right to go.