If you need help with learning how the current front page is coded, let me know, and I can do what I can. I don't think I still have access to the server, so I'd have to rely on any copies I might have saved on local disk.
Also, a note on updating SMF? There are two types of upgrade packages. Get the larger of the two, upload it to the forum directory, and unzip it, making sure to overwrite files, when it asks. You'll then need to use the update script that is included in the zip to update the database. Easy peasy