magento multistore setup with shared shopping cart

I am currently running a very simple magento commerce site on magento version 1.4.0.1 what I need done is to change the single store into multistores running on one shared shopping cart under the parent company. 1) move the existing store into its own folder as the existing store is not the parent company 2) you would set up 2 new stores 1) for the parent company 2) another clone of the existing commerce site as an example. The clone has to be independent of the original, meaning I need to be able to change graphics and layout on the clone without it affecting the original store. (I assume you would do this by calling it a different theme in a different folder) 3) all the sites should share the same shopping card which should run under the parent company (i.e. store 1 and 2 should use the shopping cart from "parent store" that way I only need one ssl on the parent and one cc account.) 4) each store should run from its unique url which will go to its unique folder. It will be done through setting up add on domains in cpanel. I do not want it set up through subdomains. Each store is its own site and only shares the shopping cart. 5) You would have to give me basic instructions on the procedure for adding additional stores (it wont take long as I know the magento structure more or less) The point of the site for the parent company site is not to sell products. the point is to unite several niche commerce sites under one parent shopping cart and checkout instead of getting a new ssl, cc processor, google checkout, and paypal account for each one. Right now the installed ssl is for the exisiting site and I will have to change it to the parent site. Hosting is through hostgator and uses cpanel. I know that all these features i.e. multistores with one shared shopping cart and checkout are supported out of the box but I don't want to spend the time figuring out how to configure it. The existing site is very small and can be closed for a day or so if necessary to make the structural changes.