maintenance. change the oil, oil filter, air filter, coolant, gear oil, brake fluid, spark plugs, plug wires, dist cap and rotor.
then get plenty of practice with the car as it sits, 100% stock. autocrossing will help with this a lot.
as far as suspension, try a bushing kit, anti-roll bars, and some adjustable dampers. or if you have the money, get full coilovers as they offer more adjustability. get good brake pads (i recommend Porterfield R4-S) and fluid, and possibly braided SS lines.
finish up with that and then consider how much power you want for your project.
get on
www.mr2oc.com and use the search function for whatever you can think of. then if you can't find something, post a question. but make sure you search for it first.
-Mike