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OK, I've been doing some more reading and should note the following:
When I say pre-amp, I think what I mean is integrated amp/pre-amp. I don't think I'm in the budget range to bother with separate amp/pre-amp systems.
I am willing (and in fact would prefer) to buy used equipment.
I know next to nothing about stereo equipment beyond the old school Pioneer receiver my parents kicked down to me years ago. (This last, I think, should be apparent by this point)
After you get done I see your plan as spending $1k on a system with speakers 2 - 2 1/2' apart and placed where the console fits, not where the speakers might sound OK. From that I can only assume sound quality is less of an issue than just having something that works. It's your cash but I think devoting that much money to the results you will get isn't the best idea I've heard. I don't believe you'll hear any significant difference between a $199 receiver with a mid-priced CD player and $1k worth of components given the limitations of the system itself. A few of the old consoles actually had decent amplifiers and I would look into restoring the original piece of equipment if this fits that description. Place "vintage audio" into a search engine to find more advice on which consoles are worth restoring and which aren't. You may have a '62 Impala coupe on your hands or you may have an '84 Nova. You never know till you find out. Otherwise, keeping the speakers in the console is a bad idea unless you just want some sound.
What is the make/model: Sears, Monkey Wards, Magnevox, RCA-Victor, Telefunken etc., etc? Is it a tube or transistor amp?
As Jan stated, there are some worthwhile console set-ups out there...depending on who made the electronics. If it is one of the better consoles I, personaly, would opt to refurbish the electronics and speakers. You could do so for much less than $1,000.
The tube power amps in Magnavox Consoles are known sound great. I have a PP 6v6 maggie console amp that i use in a bedroom setup with a pair of AR-2ax's.
Usually for the price of some orange drops and a new set of output tubes, you can bring a console back to like new operation.
Cool an old Magnavox tube console. They actually where the tops back in their days. How's the wood finish and stuff? Besides teh electronics, yeah, update teh old capacitors stuff that deteriorates with time. Some new drivers in teh speaker cabinets, from Madisound or some other supplier. Do ya have the manual that came with it, another look back into history is is from the 60's or 50's?