Creating a Custom "Home"

Here's what I need to do - make our new forum home look as close to the old:

Here's the old:
http://www.ideacafe.com/html/CS.html

Here's our current new:
http://cyberschmooz.com/index.php?

With the new we'd like to get rid of the left nav bar (currently being pulled in through the header) & the right ad (currently being pulled in through the footer).

The top header including the orange bar can stay.

I know I need to hack the forum home templates, but HOW? :ermm:

Thanks