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On muskets: they actually have a really useful ability compared to arquebuses. Most firearms ignore five points of armour at short range, muskets ignore five points of armour at all ranges. While in a dungeon pistols are probably better, arquebuses in the larger halls and caverns, once you get into engangements at ranges greater than fifty feet muskets still get that nice 'effectively ignoring armour' bonus, which essentially makes up for their increased range penalties. If you're using a rifled musket it's even better.

On demihumans: I agree with removing them in many games, although I'd suggest using any players really want to use. Of the three the Elf is basically MU+ and can generally be subsituted for the local fair folk/alfar equivalent. Dwarves are an interesting alternate option, basically being the ultimate dungeoneers with some warrior training, and in some alternate earths I can actually see the idea that there are communities of small hardy people to trade with in the mountains as a sort of open secret (i.e. it's well known in the villages near dwarven settlements, most other places have heard tales but don't really think about them). If you don't want halflings just living alongside humans then... well I can't think of anything right now, maybe recast them as more goblinesque?

To keep with the 'saves as skills' idea, how about the following:

There are six saves, each tied to an Ability. Might (Strength), Agility (Dexterity), Endurance (Constitution), Deduction (Intelligence), Perception (Wisdom), and Willpower (Charisma). Each begins at two in six, a positive modifier in the linked Ability makes it a three in six, a negative modifier makes it a one in six.

There are thirty six possible points in this system, and your average PC will begin with twelve. If we assume we want PCs to have a maximum in all saves by level twenty one there's still more than twenty points to hand out, so increasing a single save by one point per level should be fine, or one skill point every other level if you want something closer or 'classic' LotFP scaling.

Oh, we should also decide important things that the six saves defend against. Might is our basic save versus restrained, so it's what you roll to break out of ropes or paralysis. Agility is essentially reflex from D&D3.5, so is our anti-area affect save (less useful given the lack of AoE spells in LotFP, but it's already important due to AC). Endurance is save versus poisions. Deduction is our save versus illusions. Perception is a catch-all save versus traps. Willpower is a catch-all save versus magic. Not perfect, but each one has their uses.

For the record I'm less important about the Intelligence save being important because I give everybody bonus skill points equal to 2+int modifier(+the number of additional skills I add).

Here starting save values begin at roughly the same ranges as in the original rules, and advance slightly faster (which makes a big difference by the teens).

The problem is that the Dwarf and Halfling begin needing extra bonuses if you're running with demihumans, elves actually get enough advantages already to stay at their current XP track (being MUs with combat options, less restrictive casting, and better skills). Okay, maybe we can give the elf spells as a MU (read magic+three at first level, one that costs no money each level), but otherwise there's no problem. I'd be tempted to just give halflings a skill point per level and then give dwarves a Fighter's to hit bonus and maybe raise their XP table to be identical to an elf's, but then I like the idea of there being a second 'complete warrior' option in the demihumans.

I personally enjoy the idea of MUs and Clerics being combined into one class, as there are several Cleric spells I can see MUs enjoying (no, I'm not talking about the healing ones). It also feels more fantasy, as it's rate for religious magic to be treated as something different to other kinds of magic (if it exists).

The potential saving their rules are interesting, and I'm not sure what to make of them. I suppose that they'll make saving fully rarer, which isn't the worst thing in the world. I'll likely stick with the current version though, personal preference.

I fully agree with banishing demihumans to an appendix. They're not something that'll for every world, similar to firearms.

I'm interested to know if the VaM spellcasting system is the one being used in the new edition. I'd honestly pick it up and just port it's magic system into the current version just for that.