Ok...thanks guys.
Step one...pick a platform...either 1911 or MEU
Then...buy a "fixer"/broken plastic frame/slide TM and gut the essential parts out of it to lift into a metal frame/slide set.
Or...buy a new TM to gut the essential parts...
Then...pick choose the individual parts to tweak/tune/bling it out.
bummer...Illusion's fancy pre/near assembled FMU MEU's are looking more and more attractive with every question that gets answered...