elhigh, I happen to also fall into the 'irrational love' category for the Baja.
For my uses, where I occasionally need to haul something, but still need room for car seats, it fits the bill quite nicely. It is definitely called a 'utility' for a reason!
MetroMPG, ever since I discovered this site that is exactly what I've been thinking. It really is an incredible platform for an aeroshell, and I want to make one! I will probably start with something easy to make - like a tonneau - and then work on building around that. I don't mind bi-level storage if it's less work.
I've seen that picture a couple of times... Every time I see it I think photoshopped? But maybe not. I'll try to find the hind end of that Prius though... it would save a LOT of work! lol
Anyway, besides the aeroshell, I want to tackle a few simpler things, like a more permanent grille block, maybe experiment with the lower grille (I've seen mixed results), tire spats, an air dam, etc. I've also considered some tuning, like advancing the cam timing. Has anyone had any success with adjusting their cams or adjusting their tune? I love the torque this vehicle already has at lower rpms, but I could move my torque curve back juuuuuust a bit.