Modding templates for specific forums

[Cyn]

Is this possible? Let me explain what I want to do.

I have set up four advertising forums. What I would like to do is remove the following things from the forum display page for each of those forums:
thread icons in the left column
thread starter
replies
views
last post
New Thread button
Forum Rules
thread icons legend

So on the forum display the table would be reduced to one column

On the showthread page I'd like the author column removed as well as the Forum Rules box and all the buttons for the author of the post except for the edit button, and the post reply button too. I'd like the new thread button to not show either but can't figure out how I'd start a new thread if necessary without that button.

Now in my mind I would do this through the Styles part of the admin cp, modifying the templates as necessary, saving the style, uploading it, and then selecting that new style as the one to be used in the forum I want it for. But when I download a copy of the default style I find it's a php file. I don't know php so does this mean I can't do this? or am I approaching it the wrong way?