[MThornback]

To automate this somewhat....

make a new plugin on the forumbit_display hook.

$showCustom[$forum['forumid']] = false;
if (is_file("path/to/forum/images/statusicon/forum".$forum['forumid']."_new.gif")) {
    $showCustom[$forum['forumid']] = true;
}

In the template edits, replace the authors code with this (its still the authors code...which is why i'm not releasing it as my own...its just moved around and with a few conditionals):

<td>
			<if condition="$vboptions[customimg_enabled] == 1">
				<if condition="$forum[customimg] == ''">
					<if condition="$showCustom[$forum[forumid]] == true">
						<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/forum$forum[forumid]_$forum[statusicon].gif" alt="" border="0" />
					<else />
						<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/forum_$forum[statusicon].gif" alt="" border="0" id="forum_statusicon_$forum[forumid]" />
					</if>
				<else />
						<img src="$forum[customimg]" alt="" border="0" id="forum_statusicon_$forum[forumid]" />
				</if>
			<else />
				<if condition="$showCustom[$forum[forumid]] == true">
					<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/forum$forum[forumid]_$forum[statusicon].gif" alt="" border="0" />
				<else />
					<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/forum_$forum[statusicon].gif" alt="" border="0" id="forum_statusicon_$forum[forumid]" />
				</if>
			</if>
			</td>

If it works (it does for me) it should replace for forums that have an image in the right folder, otherwise display the default. The best of both worlds

Enjoy!