Well I was kind of reluctant to mention this given the general sensitivity around this particular brand/subject, but the "four-thousand-five" is a model that could also leverage that bridge, along with a readily available tailpiece (ala the Epi/Rogue/etc.. Hoffie clones):
Actually, there are quite a few similarities to the NR:
-vintage prices in the USD 4-10K-ish range, depending on condition
-the manufacturer has no appetite to revisit/reissue it (a moral gray area much like the NR; a clone would not compete with sales of a current model)
-other than one-offs, no one has ever built a decent replica
-looks great in videos
-I'm speculating there would be some demand for an alternative to the original
Anyways... just a thought. Like Doc's project, it might be fun to take some liberties - get it in mahog, or with better pickup placement. Much like the NR, I'd love a real one but I'll never be able to justify the current cost of admission.