Hi Alex,
In answer to your question, there have indeed been several attempts (in the literature) to deproject M31 to a face-on orientation, but it turns out to be a distinctly non-trivial task to do this kind of thing.
The morphology of M31 turns out to be
unusual and
very complex!!
Most "face on" views of the Andromeda Galaxy are not well fitted by any pattern of Very Large Scale coordinated spiral structure, but are better fit by a single very-large-scale ring structure, together with some minor spiral arms.
Because the disk of M31 is not very planar, even the definition of "face on" is somewhat indistinct. (As I have remarked in other posts, non-planarity is the rule in the disk components of galaxies, rather than being the exception.)
I am just trying to come to grips with the current literature on M31, and my current impression is that there is a gigantic amount of existing multi-wavelength observational material without there being any secure interpretation of the complex morphology and history of this enigmatic galaxy. Oddly, relatively "normal" and relatively nearby galaxies such as M31 have actually
only recently become fashionable amongst extragalactic astronomers..... who were usually off chasing distant exotica such as quasars, primeval galaxies, etc.
There are at least two ring structures within M31, as is well shown in the near- and mid- infrared imaging data , for instance this image from the Spitzer Telescope:
The above is an 8 micron image from Spitzer, showing a large-scale ring of emission from dust, and also a smaller dust ring that is around the centre of this galaxy. The larger of the two rings is, intriguingly, split or broken near to the apparent position of the companion galaxy M32.
These structures have had some analysis in the literature, with various fanciful and interesting scenarios being posited, such as a pass through of M32 through the disk of M31.
Now when we consider the older stellar population emphasized in this 3.4 microns image from WISE, we see that the large scale ring is actually broken rather than split:
Thus far, in the literature, there has been little in the way of interpretation of this break in the ring.
Here is the ring (and also a central spiral!) in a continuum-subtracted Hydrogen Alpha bandpass:
I think that the morphology & history & kinematics of M31 is going to be a tough problem to crack.....the "pros" haven't got it sorted out yet! Proper motions of M32 and NGC 205, which are observationally feasible, would help to sort out the influence on M31 of these satellite galaxies.
(NGC 205 is tidally distorted, in its outer parts)
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Note added in a later edit:
On the issue of warped disks in spiral galaxies ("bent" disks), Leo Blitz has some good data about the very complex non-planar shape of the Milky Way's gas layer; though not much has been published of his data, as far as I know.
Furthermore, Thomas Dame and Patrick Thaddeus have recently identified a probable outer spiral arm that is not exactly in the same plane as the rest of the Milky Way.
(This is not surprising, as outer arms are seen in other galaxies that are lifted somewhat out of the principal plane)
, I couldn't help the abreviation! Kindred spirit I see, 
), thanks for that info. The pictures you've provided really lend to consider that M31 has been very busy in merging with other galaxies, and would seem to be in a 'settling down' phase. It would seem to be developing a distinct ring structure with an internal barred spiral system. I've seen a few pictures of galaxies of a similar nature, but at a more developed stage.
