legacycentral bbs

Does anyone know of a good motorcycle salvage place? I'm looking for a BMW K1200 (preferably) or a Goldwing. I need the engine/tranny/shaft drive rear end (and reverse gear).

I decided to first build a prototype of a car I've designed since that's going to be somewhat expensive and complicated to build and I'd rather have some experience with something a little easier (and cheaper) first. Plus you can't jump right into a P-51 Mustang without training in something else first...

So what's this prototype? Something to further push myself to the fringes of society - a shortened, re-canopied Cessna 150 fuselage with a car front suspension and a motorcycle rear drive connected by a tube frame since I don't think they designed the Cessna airframe for road abuse. And this, of couse, after I threw out that damn old Legacy front suspension and crossmember, dammit. Never throw anything out! I'll never learn.

I'm just trying to get an idea on budget right now. My neighbors are going to love me.

hmm why not go more like a morgan type thing using old american tins with a boat tail rear end made from a '30's hood?
for a bike junkyard around there good to talk to some shops and just start putting out some feelers you might be able to pick up somebody's junk for very cheap ie something that had been crashed and had the frame tweaked since youre cutting that up anyway. posting an ad on craigslist would be a good idea. maybe dont discount chain drive I4's unless youre looking for the flat motor/shaft/reverse gear. you could also use a starter motor for reverse, I believe there is a way to do this with the stock starter on some motors. or maybe no reverse at all and just be able to push.
front suspension would be cool to use a donor along the lines of a car that has a double wishbone setup on a crossmember where you can unbolt the whole unit from the frame. mustang II comes to mind and is somewhat of a standard practice for building hot rods, much easier and cleaner looking than trying to adapt a subaru strut setup. also I believe chrysler volaires and a few others are used this way.

Exactly. I want quiet, reliable, shaft drive, big cruiser motor made for something as close to the weight I need as possible, and the reverse gear. I'm not pushing this thing around. This will somewhat resemble a large Morgan aero trike (the barrel-backed one) with a roof. The tail of the plane will be cut short will almost no overhang behind the partially-covered rear wheel. The front will have open cycle fenders like the Morgan. Two people will fit more comfortably than in the Morgan.

The final model will have a double wishbone-like setup in front with unique geometry I'm trying to work out that would otherwise be difficult to package in a close-bodied car. The suspension I get for the prototype may have to be widened in front to get the track what I want.

In the end I want a car that can out-corner and out accelerate an Elise with the gas mileage of a Citroen 2CV and all-but-snow driveability for two people (in tandem like a Messerschmit bubble car). This prototype won't achieve that, but should be impressive and I can learn from it.

The final model will be a loosely P-51-inspired (proportions modified for a ground-based vehicle) 2+1 3-wheeler with an S2000 drivetrain, front suspension and partial interior, plus a teardrop canopy, and tailfin. I hope to have a working airbag for it, but not likely as a crash-wrecked S2000 will likely have them deployed.

No doors so the enveloping tube frame will be stronger than hell. The tailfin will have a third brake light running up the back for safety and possibly a camera in the top front to help see further ahead in traffic. The nose cone will rotate to reveal the high beam and the mainbeams will swivel with the cycle fenders. My concern is keeping the length down as the engine will be front mounted and the canopy needs to slide back for tolls/ventilation (it will have to flip for rear seat access), but not hit the tailfin. The second passenger will sit with their legs astride the front seat. Theoretical women only. It will probably only see use as storage.