fl350 front suspension and misc Q's

[s__i__v]

Howdy! I've been reading here for a loooong time. I have a few questions to ask and I'd greatly appreciate any opinion anyone might have or advice.

To start off i bought a used fl350 minus the motor from a guy for 300 bucks about a year ago. got in a car crash and yada yada haven't been able to do anything with it yet. The frame is in great condition. Not rusty or cracked or bent to hell. From putting my weight on it or jumping I cant get the shocks to move at all but it has been sitting for about 5 years in a shed. The trans seems to work. It shifts and rolls fine. I'd like to keep this kinda dirt cheap as well. So thats the back story!

1) motor:
i CAN get the original motor for it, everything that came off. BUT it sat outside in the dirt, rain, snow, hail, monsoons (WI is known for a nasty monsoon or 2) for about 5 years. Yikes. The second option that fell into my lap would be a bike engine. A friend of mine has an old 80's honda (I think cb400). It runs good and all and they would sell the whole thing to me for 50 bucks. thats almost theft. I'd like to stray from the 2 stroke and go 4 and be able to shift. Problem is space. Would there be enough room for a bike motor and trans plus the original oddy trans? Or am I an idiot for even thinking about going that route?

2rd) Suspension:
Well shocks and all aside... Travel travel travel... the stock suspension is "ok" at best and i don't want to sell a kidney for some better suspension on this thing. The Piranha uses a single A arm. The white oddy in the pic below has doubles. I hate geometry. It annoys me greatly. Single seems the simple and safer way to go at the moment.

D) Thats it... If you read through that. Thank you and I'm sorry

[shinear]

looks like a fun car......1 thing at a time...get it runnin' play with it and have fun, you might find that it is fine with the motor you picked and you could have fun for a season, find the flaws then correct them..I know from experience that if you try to do to much at one time it either does not get done or when you finally get there you hate the thing......shortest path to play and then refine it.

post pics of it in the raw..

Shine

[s__i__v]

this is the best i can do for a picture at the moment lol. I just went out and uncovered it about 20 minutes ago and took a gander at it all. called around and plan to go get some measurements on the bikes motor and everything before i take the leap. my goal is to get a motor in it and clean it up. if that all works out then i'll go from there or pull my hair out chasing problems with the motor and trans. i put the seat back in and took a look at the bay again. not a whole lot of room obviously. im about 75% sure that the motor i want to put in it wont fit with the oddy trans... but who knows. i need to get some numbers down first

[Gene]

Find an engine of simiar size with electric start. Quad a-arms and spindles could make a good front end and just keep the stock quad geometry.


Welcome to MBN if mot already said!

[s__i__v]

ha... i was reading a few older posts the other day about quad arms and it slipped my mind completely. thanks for the response guys.

[Gene]

As a matter of fact you could get a wrecked quad and use the donor components. wreckedtoys.com and similar sites have them available. Google salvage motorcycels, insurance auctions, etc.

[s__i__v]

i'm only a few hours from crashtoys stillwater office. i just need to find something i know will for sure fit. i just want to shift thats my downfall.

edit: went and took a look at the bike and took some measurements. if it will fit it will be a squeeze! but I learned an important lesson. dont take crucial measurements when you are deprived of sleep. will get some good shut eye tonight and go at it with a level head tomorrow morning. thats right. im passing up the Romanian immigrant worker girls at the bar for this. the bottom of the engine WILL fit. with a smaller rotor i could move it back even farther tho. going to have to make some tight bends in the exhaust. someone humor me here. can i go with a smaller rotor and be fine? i'd hate to have to move the seat forward even half an inch but i'll do what i gotta do if it will go without using too big of a hammer. i'll just have to try and drop it as far down as possible and pray like hell. or mount it at a slight angle =/

[s__i__v]

well.... what about mounting it at an angle? like in the picture? sorta... its either scrap the idea or mount it at a slight angle...

[Gene]

Convert it to chain drive and shift away!

[s__i__v]

that sounds like a better option then tossing it all out the window =/ I sure will miss reverse tho if i do that.

the motor:
length of the case is about 15" not counting exhaust so is width and 18" tall. with the brake rotor in the way i have almost 17 inches of room to play with at the frame. as you go up tho the seat leans back and would bump into the exhaust or the head even if it had no exhaust.

so... either
A)find a smaller motor but it would have to have equal power at least.
2)go straight chain no FNR. I'd probably have to run a jackshaft then.
C)dump the rear brake.... yea right
4rd)instead of 1 big rotor on the left run 2 small ones? one on each side?
V)eff it and mount that sucker at an angle.

im getting depressed now