It's been awhile since I posted here with anything new to add. Thought I might put up an update:
1. Bought cheap blue aftermarket mats to spice up the otherwise staid interior:
2. Lowered with B&G springs and fitted 17" ROH Drift R wheels:
* angles chosen specifically to avoid prominent display of drum brakes and towbar
I've done about 4000ks since I bought it, and apart from the exploded water pump and a (hopefully) minor wheel alignment/balance issue, things have been just fine.
Now here's a nighttime shot of the cabin:
Downgraded my cellphone to make use the pre-existing car kit. It even mutes the radio during a call!
With no prospect of finding a decent enough CD player with amber backlighting, I opted for a Navman PocketPC for navigation and as a music player...
EDIT: I resized the last pic for you
-Rooz