Thank you everyone for your positive feedback and tips! I finally disassembled my grill and started the cleaning process.  
In the spirit of my friend 
@AHymel , I laid everything out as I took the grill apart. 
 
The flavorizer bars are looking the worse for wear... More on that later...  
 
The frame is looking great! It was a pain to get the swinging side table off, but I got it! There are only a few problem spots - see following pic. 
 
There are a couple of spots that look like this. I assume that this will be fixed after a good sanding and paint job? 
 Here are some parts I have questions about:
Here are some parts I have questions about:
Fuel scale assembly: 
 
Flavorizer bars:

 
Igniter: 
 
Burner tubes:
 Questions:
Questions:
1. 
Problem spots on frame: sand and paint? I've already read over 
@PaulD 's "Drab to Fab" and bought: 
- 400 grit sandpaper - for sanding the metal 
- Rustoleum high heat ultra
- Rustoleum high heat
2. 
Fuel scale assembly: what is the protocol for cleaning this? The spring inside is fairly rusted. Is it handy/do I really need it, or can I nix it? 
3. 
Flavorizer bars: They're all pretty crusty. Rust has eaten holes in a few - can I get away with keeping these or should I purchase new?
4. 
Igniter: It works, but it's not pretty. Is it a good idea to install a new one?
5. 
Burner tubes: I have not tested these, so I don't even know if they work... I read 
@Chris Allingham 's post "Spring Cleaning for Your Gas Grill" where he recommends "brush[ing] off the burners and punch[ing] out any clogged holes with an opened paper clip or small eyeglass screwdriver." Would that be enough to get my burner tubes freshened up?
Thank you for your help! I can't wait to work on my grill more tomorrow!