Cleaning up the dash bezel
 

I don't really have money for xmass this year and thought that cleaning up my wifes gauge cluster, painting the needles and installing the RPM gauge my wife bought would be a cheap way to make her happy (yes I'm getting her something else too!) How should I clean the metal? I was thinking steel wool or 400-800 sandpaper. Should I paint it? I kind of want to leave it looking like metal but I don't know what to coat it with.... Never done this before and my father-in-law promised to help me with the wiring, anything I need to watch out for?