Well, I finally got back from my vacation to my parents' in California, and managed to get everything installed! The installation went pretty well, sans the two bolts on the caliper frames in front...

They were baked into their threads so well that a hammer-to-the-breaker-bar action wouldn't even loosen them. On the passenger side, I had to use the floor jack to apply the appropriate leverage to the breaker bar to loosen the bolts. On the driver side, this wouldn't work, of course (right-tighty, lefty-loosy!) So, I had to use the breaker bar and the bar for the floor jack, and use a little downward transverse leverage via the frame... Anyway, it sucked, but it had to be done to get the old rotors off and the new ones on.

I've got (once again): Akebono ProACT pads in the front and the rear, zinc-coated slotted front rotors from Dayle (they're Bradi, I believe), and Valvoline SynPower brake fluid.

After the install, the brake pedal went straight to floor a few times, until adequate pressure built up. Then they got incredibly firm! I took it for a spin around the neighborhood, and noticed a definite howling from the slotted rotors upon braking. The first few times that I came to a complete stop, I also noticed a very loud grinding noise from the front brakes that also made the car shake a little. I continued driving, cautiously, and both the grinding and howling went away.

There is no audible howling from the brakes anymore, they're incredibly firm, and I definitely feel more confident stopping. There's still a little bit of a grinding noise when coming to a total stop and then allowing the car to roll forward a few inches, but I've heard this before, and also heard it go away before. So, no worries.

I just wish that I could have fixed my cigarette lighter first, so that I could GTech my 60-0 braking distance/G's before and after the install. However, I figured that the ability to stop at all was more important than a functional cigarette lighter.

Thanks for all the help guys.