Thanks!
I was pleasantly surprised by the behaviour of the engine, too. I think it's one of those sure-fire signs that an engine's compression is alive and well. The exhaust note sounds half-decent, and the throttle response (for such an old, out-of-recent-use engine) is good. The more I ponder over this, the more inclined I become to keep it just the way it is...and simply give it some good old-fashioned TLC (some long, idle runs with repeatedly drained/refilled vital essences), some cosmetic touch-ups (really...how hot would this plant look with a red paint job to the block and headers, chrome embellishments to the valve covers, air cleaner, nuts and bolts, pulleys etc?), and a slow, graduated return to "normal" usage.
Sure, the 1975 Buick 455 may NOT be the most powerful engine on earth vis a vis other choices, but it's certainly a large displacement engine with a great deal of potential for more. If and when the engine sorely requires a rebuild, perhaps some other performance options could be added to the wish-list. Added to this, the simple fact that it's already THERE...makes it a bit of a no-brainer, to NOT give it a try.
The wheels are a bit of a conundrum (yes, they come with locking, flush-sitting hub covers). They make you either fall in love with them instantly (as in my case), or make you hate them instantly (as in Yasir aka khanrocks' case 
). From a bit of research I've been doing on the net, 20 inch rims are perfectly acceptable on 67 Impalas with 2 inch ride drops, all the way up to 275 width meats...providing they are low profile (30-35). Anything above 275s WILL involve some shearing away of the trunk from inside. The ideal solution to this, is to adopt a middle-of-the-path approach...use 18 inch rims with slightly beefier tyres. We shall see about that in the days to come.
I've also discovered that my solution provider is a genius! And not JUST because he whips up Holley carbs, and the like out of thin air! According to him...back from the days of the Shah of Iran...our friendly neighbour to the west has hundreds of thousands of American built cars that are simply begging to be chopped and/or cannibalised and/or mined for parts. Hopefully, within a month or so, I should be getting all the switches and gauges, a "new" steering wheel (with the steering gear...but for LHD rather than RHD, admittedly), emblems, decals, logos, lights, trim, door sills, bezels and garnishes, from Iran. I'm positively salivating over the prospects! All those items that CAN'T be brought in by hand carry luggage...can be brought via other means, later. Time to make a wish-list!
I've also found an incredibly good man for the interior (I personally think that a "good" man will always be better than merely a "skilled" man on your rebuild team), who has given me some other mouth-watering ideas for the interior. These primarily focus around an all-leather interior in high contrasts, some thick pile carpeting, some interior heat-proofing, and some wicked sound-system ideas.
So, yeah...all said and done...all systems seem good to "boldly go where no man has gone before".
Engage warp speed Mr Spock!
