Look at the pics. The underdash wiring he's wanting to hide is under the ashtray, not the column. He may not have A/C, but he sure as hell has an A/C heaterbox under there. The way the controls and whatnot are plumbed with wires and vacuum lines, they don't all tuck under the dash frame the way non A/C cars do. That's why he's got a mess.
And yeah, he's needing a column cover as well.