Ken, my experience today wasn't a total match with yours--an air chisel?
wow!--but here's what did happen:

Triple A towed our shark (on a proper flatbed, which was a relief) about a
mile to the local Chevron station. I recounted my tale of failure to force
the filter free to the owner and chief mechanic...the car went up on the
rack...the guy wrapped his filter wrench around it...and pushed...and
heaved...and really leaned into it this time.....and the blue devil didn't
budge a silly millimeter.

He caught his breath, and called his Number Two over, with a second
filter wrench. This guy pulled, while Number One pushed. And they
pushed. And they pulled.

Nuttin'. Zip. Nada. Not gonna happen.

Two mechanics looking pretty damn surprised, I gotta say.

Now they get serious. And REALLY lean into it...both wrenches strained to
the max.

And finally...reluctantly...with almost visible resistance to being
budged...that ornery oil filter came loose.

I felt vindicated. One man, flat on his back, having to reach under the car
with only inches of room to operate, and I hadn't been able to remove the
thing myself. So when I saw that it took two professionals, with all the
leverage that standing upright can give you, with the underside of the car
raised up to the ideal height, to remove the rascal....I felt better.

(Unfortunately, I'd filled the crankcase with five quarts of fresh fluid. And
the chief mechanic installed the filter with a full load. So now I'm
overfilled--and I'm pretty certain that I'll have to lift her up again on
jackstands and drain some out. But I'd like the expert opinions on that
subject of any who've read this far...)

Final note to this short story: everybody at the station expressed interest
in the car (and remember, this is a rolling wreck--paint practically all
sanded off, crazy Centerline wheels, etc.) It really captured their interest.

So it just goes to show--not that this group here needs any reminding, of
course--that our beloved sharks have an appeal that is still so
powerful...even when they're looking their 'worst'.

I was proud to count myself among your number as an owner today,
guys. And looking forward once again to doing what I can to bring this
beauty-in-the-rough back to its rightful role as a ruler of the streets...

Usually if you cut the rolled band in two at the base of the oil filter it will come off. This relieve the prressure from the o-ring seal that is pressed against it.
After you expreience this exercise your awareness of hand tighten on the next oil change scores +1 on the priority scale.

Concerning the wires if you take the boots off or buy a wire kit you can cut the distributor end off of the
old wires. Tape the plug end of the new wires to the end and gently pull them through. If you have a an electricians fish tape this will work as well. (maybe even a coat hanger taped to the wire would work.)
Since my vette wasn't ever gonna make the all orginal books I choose to buy aftermarket wire housings that bolt to the valve covers. I used these in conjunction with the distrbutor cover & chrome looms. No wires shown anywhere until they pop out of the aftermarket housing between the headers to the sparkplugs.

Tuxblacray, this sounds like just the approach to the spark plug wiring
route that I've been considering for the past couple of days.

Specifically, the aftermarket, bolt-to-the-valve covers (or the intake
manifold itself) solution, in order to get the wires up and over/away from
the heads/exhaust manifolds.

Any chance you could post a picture of your application? Or just explain a
bit further how you set yours up? I checked out chrome (Spectre brand)
wire housings this week at my local Kragens, and just today was looking
over existing, available bolts on the intake manifold that I could attach
them to.

So your post tonight was great timing!

Sorry I can't post a picture due to my daughter running off to school with my camera "AGAIN". arghh..

I have the stock chrome distributer cover and the stock wire looms off of the cover. The looms I bought used so that I could slightly modify the bottom to allow the wires to exit higher for routing into the back of aftermarket wire housings that run the length of the valve cover.
These are 2 flat hollow aluminium bars that are approxamately 2" wide. Mine have flames etched into them but I think you can buy plain as well. The bottom housing attaches via tabs to the lower valve cover bolts or in my case the quick change T handles. The wires enter the rear of the housing and exit the bottom of the housing through cut outs above each sparkplug bank.
Once you have the wires laid in place the top housing cover is attached with 2 small Allen head set screws to the bottom housing.
This set up provided a clean look and easy acess to the wires vs. the over the river and through the woods GM approach.
For me this worked out great since the ol' black ray is far from original and won't be anything but a fun driver for me and future owners in years to come.

Ted, if you click on the link at the bottom of my post you will see two Corvettes.  The nice red one is not mine.  The one with not a bit of paint is.  Also notice the lack of interior and many loose parts laying inside.  And yet I still get compliments and thumbs up when I take it out.  Amazing actually.  But mine is now running well, driving well, and one it's way to fully functional.  Then it will get some paint.