Cheap and sharp: and older process lens, (like the kind David Vickery mentioned, especially the Kodaks).
Cheap and fast: a long-ish projector lens, like a Buhl or Beseler. These are almost all triplets, and you'll need to cut the barrel for a Waterhouse Stop, if you want aperture control.
But if you're going through the trouble and expense of the 11x14 format, it seems a shame to skimp on the thing that actually makes the picture. For a little more, you might find a 450mm M or Q Nikkor in a Copal shutter, or something similar. And remember, a small scratch or two on an element won't affect performance, but will drop the value way down.
Bookmarks