sounds like you are willing to do what it takes to get the job done. You painted the dash, get some black spray dye for vinyl and paint it. Might be hard to get the front even but you could remove it and make it easier to dye.
There are 6 or so nuts to remove from the back to take the pad off.
wish it were my car
you said you might paint it black, there is a thriple black 70 or 71 I've seen lately in Greenwood at the SUD's that looks great, but the more you take it from orginal or the cost to return to orginal will affect the value in case you ever want to sell
