I have been using my Myford Super7 which has a q/change gearbox for 30 years and it was 17 years old when I bought it! Myford have a deservedly high reputation and spares are available at reasonable prices
I have found it ideally suited to almost all the work I have needed to do in rebuilding 3 Scotts and 2 cars. It is large enough to machine a 2 Speed backplate casting. In practice the majority of work I do is making bolts, spacers and bushes. It may not be that powerful but an amateur has plenty of time. Being belt driven it it quite forgiving of errors that might be catastrophic on more powerful gear driven lathes. I would strongly recommend a rear tool post for parting off.
