Thanks Toolmaker51, the pillow block does sound like it might yield some good possibilities for, say conversion to a metal lathe at need. The Craftsman headstock pictured does have a threaded shaft, and has a #1 morse taper for a spur center or any other friction mounted doodad I should need. There will definately be a need for some shimmetry in my design, but I may be able to get a bit closer with some of the huge cast iron brackets that were on the base (which, in picture #2 is upside down btw, the wider end goes toward the pull of gravity).

In the vein of conversion btw, do you or maybe this community at large know anything about how wide to make it on the outside, so it can be fitted fairly simply with a cross slide?