My personal opinion is that Chevelles and thin sidewall tires DO NOT look right together. You raised another point that I have never put into words before but completely agree with...that smooth lipped wheels don't look right either.
I'd say that 17" wheels are the biggest diameter that you can still put some rubber on. There's nothing wrong with having the same diameter wheel in the front and back...with different widths. Go with the TTII's, in 17"x8" and 17"x9.5".
This calculator will help you with fitment and is a good visual aid for comparing tire/wheel/offset combos.
http://www.rims-n-tires.com/rt_specs.jsp