I just put money down on a Clausing 1401 lathe. I hope to get it in my shop next week, cost me $2500. Hopefully this will do all I need for now. It cuts english threads, 5hp, variable speed, 1 1/2" through hole, 14 1/2" swing and 48" between centers. The only thing that I wish it had was a steady rest and metric thread cutting ability.

For the money, it is a lot more lathe than some of the other machines that I've been able to find. I passed up a few Atlas and South Bend lathes which seem to go for around $1,200 to $1,500 around here.

Ebay always has some steady rests for sale. If you wait one might come up thats for your Clausing.
You could always adapt one to your lathe. They take a lot of time to make from scratch. You could build it how you want it, finding the time to make one is hard. Easier to adapt one to what you need.
Machine tool dealers that sell steadys by themselves to make a little fast money and then sell the lathes without a steady rest should be hung.

On my Clausing 6913, I bought a used steady and bolted an aluminum plate to it. I cut a groove for the way on one side. Works good during a test drive. I haven't used it in the 8 years that I have had it.
Butch

Congrats, those are pretty nice lathes. Wish I knew you were looking, I would have sold you my Rockwell 14". Need to make some room in the garage and five lathes is too many, or so I am told.
Greg