Bumping this thread up with another update:
The 'Bu has 7,635 miles on it since it's re-birth, for a total of 180,188 miles and the engine hasn't missed a lick... Not one. It likes it's RPM for sure. It consumes no noticeable oil- none, nadda, zip, zero, in spite of having some light scoring from piston damage in hole #4.
Earlier in the thread, I mentioned a noisy timing set when hot- well figuring that I gambled and lost on that too, I ordered and installed a Cloyes set only to find the same thing! I was sure I had the problem correctly diagnosed because when I popped the timing cover off, the chain was loose enough to slap the timing chain housing. At that point I figured "What the heck" and planned to just run it. Well once I got a few more (progressively longer) oil changes ran through it, I dropped some QSUD (5w-30) in and at about that time, the noise largely disappeared! I still maintain that it was timing chain tensioner related though.
The A/C needs work (on the list) and it's getting shod with new Firestone Precision Touring tires next week, that way my better, fairer half can enjoy her newer ride in relative comfort and safety. The 4T40 trans suffers from the jerky shifting they are known for even though I completely replaced the fluid with Dex 6 and a bottle of Lubegaurd Red during the build. I also replaced one output shaft seal shortly after putting it in service.
Fuel economy is a bit of a sore spot. It really doesn't respond well to in town driving/short highwaytrips and comes in at 22-23 odd MPG. It seems to like stretching it's legs a bit on the highway and even if driving at higher speeds and somewhat aggressively (it is a Malibu after all, how aggressive can you get?), will still return 26mpg. The best it's seen has been 28mpg- all highway miles at or above 70mph with lots of full throttle blasts. I'm sure my wife will wring another 2-3 mpg out of it as she learns it's quirks. Even if it doesn't set the world on fire with astounding MPG numbers, it's still cheap to drive/own.
On the topic of cost- I never had run the numbers on cost to re-build the engine, replace the front brakes and all that other jazz... Not sure I ever will. If I had to guess though, I'd say it would be around 2600 dollars (including purchase), front brakes, transmission service work, engine mounts and so on. I just have to keep it all glued together for 42,365 or so miles!