That sounds like a cool project!
FYI there is a lot of software which does the same thing, using just an ordinary camera.
First page of Bing "3d scan camera":
faq:en_possibilities [DAVID-Wiki] From fingerprints to full cars.
Rendor Turns Your Single-Camera Smartphone Into A Real 3D Scanner | TechCrunch
PhotoModeler Overview
All it would take is access to a junkyard and a few days/weeks.