Another Update
The '65 came home yesterday (at 1 in the morning!) for an inspection of the work carried out on the engine, air-con, and interior, thus far. This would explain why there're no pictures to accompany this post...1am NOT being the most lens-friendly time of the day, and all that stuff 
Ashfaq (the interior Maestro) is really outdoing himself with the work he's displayed, thus far. After the Rubberised Coating on the floor of the Impala, we've had some nice, extra-thick namda overlaid on the floor, which has been overlaid in turn with a thick-pile carpet, with a namda of its own. A deep, rich, dark-burgundy colour has been chosen for the carpet (as opposed to the bright-red colours of the seats and the dash). This makes the vibrant colours within "jump out" at you...and will (hopefully) look good with black foot-mats of a similar carpet pile. The seat (just the front one so far) is superb. All the springs have been either replaced, repaired or refitted, and its gotten some inch-thick foam along the ribbings to make it deliciously contoured. The dashboard promises to be a work of art...with literally dozens of small and large pieces receiving the loving kiss of leather (or leatherite for those awkward little pieces where leather can't be affixed on). Chrome parts have been buffed and shined, and they look incredibly dramatic against the black/red combination. The shield of the cabin (i.e., the partition between engine and interior) has gotten an extra thick layer of aluminium foil covered rubber namda. This is likely to significantly deaden sound, prevent heat transference, and insulate the environment within, even further. The formerly-ugly-looking contraption I'd made out of wood to house the Tiptronic floor-shift has been covered with red and black leatherite, and is looking simply marvellous. The huge, cavernous trunk of the Impala has been swathed in the same coloured carpet as the interior, and is looking smashing. I am going to design a sexy-looking wheel mount that fits ONTO the carpeted floor of the trunk for its spare wheel. The rubber and chrome of the spare would add to the aesthetics of the trunk rather than detract from them, I think.
It was pretty late at night, so not wanting to irk the neighbours (who are already clamouring for my skin, courtesy of the Phantom setting off their car alarms as it passes by their houses) I took the beast to the GT road for a bit of a spin. This is where the fun stuff begins. Now, for the past couple of days I'd been thrashing the Phantom around, which is a diesel. Since yesterday morning, I was driving the Range Rover (which is a 4.6L, eight cylinder, 222 bhp petrol). Whilst travelling to and from Islamabad, I was pleasantly surprised by the effortless power and acceleration of the Range Rover (in comparison to the massive torque yet-sedate-acceleration of the Phantom from earlier on), whenever I'd floor the pedal. It was with this backdrop that I floored the pedal on the Impala at 1am on a barmy night in Rawalpindi...
Bad idea. Especially when there's a Police checkpost on the GT Road that is a few hundred metres away. No one warned me about the 1UZ engine when I was installing it...which SHOULD have been the case...because it is TERRIFYING. Having been accustomed all day to the somewhat heavy pedal of the RR, the foot-pressure on the accelerator made this beast fishtail its way crazily to the checkpost, where only the most adroit manipulation of the brakes prevented me from totaling the post altogether! Understandably, the cops were shocked into action by the sight of a huge silver-missile-like thing roaring its way towards them, and took up battle stations, accordingly!
LOL.
I literally had to jump out, with my hands in the air and yell "fire na kholna!", and reassure them that I was NOT an international terrorist who was planning to wipe out their checkpost. After this explanation (and subsequently, many smiles and appreciative comments from the cops about the Impala), I managed to safely make my way home.
After this event though, I have plans to fix a plate on the inner sun visor as a constant reminder: "Fouad, don't be an idiot. Stick to 60km/hr"
