I recommend "stripping" the paint, I did that to a old yamaha guitar I once had, I dont know the proper english word but I used something like this : http://www.boschtools.com/tools/tool...175979&G=54925 and then used some fine sandpaper, at least the yamaha had some really nice wood underneath all the thick black paint. Then I oiled it with some dark furniture oil that I found in the garage ;-)
It looked fantastic.
I really must recommend the Texas Tele, I tried them when our local music store had a Fender Clinic a few months ago, and they sounded fantastic!
I hope this can give you some inspiration
*edit* forgot to recommend http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks.cfm , they make really good necks and other guitar parts, I even think they have those old Charvel/Jackson style "hockey club" heads if you are into that stuff