Check out these custom gauge clusters....

[piecesparts]

I am looking at this whole discussion and my assumption is this: If you want to make a show quality product and you want it to reflect professionalism, then the high priced items will be in your toolbox. If you are building for the street and you don't have the dollars to do a "American Hotrod" special, then you will want to save money. There have been and still are functional good looking steups out there and they are reasonably priced. My next project will have the higher dollar "Bling" because that is what gets attention in a show atmosphere and I am building it for show and driving. My present truck has the stock gauges and billet aluminum trim, and it works well, now I am going a step further. I am happy outfits out there are making things like this, so that it is available when I or others want it. It saves me the trouble of getting all of the equipment to make my own stuff. This is what the boys at the professional shops do, rather than getting all of that serious overhead in their shops. Hell, even the OCC boys, just now started making their own frames.