Blue Print Engines???

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I would trust one.....but only after I disassembled it and blueprinted it myself. They are a good deal. Summit sells a 408 short block for 1800 bucks. That's how I am though. I would tear down any sort of crate engine and make sure it was to "MY" specs. Once that's done, I'm sure you'd have a nice engine.
 
I put one in my LIL Red, I got the fully dressed 408, couldn't get it to run right untill i got rid of their carb, wires and plugs. Seems to have some good torque and hp but i would never buy another one from them again just because with all the original probs i had their customer service was crap and they never did get back to me after the last email... Seems like they only like hearing from you when everything is going good, not when your having problems...I will go with hughes next time for sure, at least all they do is mopar not all different brands like blueprint
 
Never heard anything good about them,as for buying a crate(crap)engine and tearing it down kind of defeats the purpose most have for buying them..just save your time and money find a shop you can trust to build it right,instead of buying something who knows who built...
 
Never heard anything good about them,as for buying a crate(crap)engine and tearing it down kind of defeats the purpose most have for buying them..just save your time and money find a shop you can trust to build it right,instead of buying something who knows who built...

Maybe so, but if I ever get an engine put together by someone else, I always tear it apart for myself. Defeats the purpose or not, I do it. Because "I" know "I" know how to build an engine. I don't know what somebody else knows. Most it's gonna cost is another gasket set. That's a small price to pay for the piece of mind the job's done RIGHT. Gotta guy bringing me a chubby 305 to build today. First one I've done in a little bit. With all this medical I got goin on it's the first one I've felt like doin. It does seem these blueprint engines have their issues though, doesn't it? Engine assembly is something so simple to do, every single hot rodder out there needs to learn how to do it correctly.....if for no other reason than for their own protection against idiots that don't.
 
I couldn't agree more with stroker. I have had work done be all the shops in my area over the years. They are all decent shops and do good work but over the last 30 years they have all missed things or made some mistakes with my parts. Engine assembly is a pretty simple task and it costs very little to check out a motor and blueprint it your self. Once you have the basic tools you will have them for a lifetime. You rely only need a set of feeler gauges and some plasticgauge for a checking clearance on a motor. Although a dial indicator and stand and a bore gauge would speed up the process.
 
I was researching this company for about a year. The price might be in the ballpark for a GOOD running motor, but there are so many blogs out there and I have seen nothing but bad things regarding mopar motors. For Chevy's I hear they are great. After all, they are out west and who are you going to complain to? They dont answer emails and I see they have a tendency to blame the buyer and installer for everything and thus, dont cover anything with the so called warranty, plus YOU pay for shipping. It seems everone seems to have some runablity problem, cylinder issue, mismatched parts, bad compression, loose parts found in the motor, scored bearings and the list goes on and on. I understand tearing down a motor, but why do this on a crate motor you are supposed to plug and play. I agree, save up and get a motor from a reputable company from INDY who dyno's each motor independently. Blueprint dyno'd one motor and boasts that HP for every cookie cutter motor they make. I saw enough proof to convince me that I dont want the hassle or court time and opted for an INDY motor 380 or 430 HP motor, but by God's grace I came upon a (manufact. 2004) true Mopar performace 380 HP crate motor untouched and in the crate. If it was not for that find, I would be in line for an INDY. It is worth the wait even if you have to save more $$ and avoid the drama. For the common man like myself with limited funds; does anyone disagree with me?? I almost feel bad for not holding off and getting the 430 HP INDY motor anyway.
 

Lemmie tell yall a little story regarding this very thing. Back in early '99, RIGHT after my work accident, I couldn't do anything. Some days I couldn't get outta the bed. Hell......every once in a while I still cant. Anyway, at the time, I had just pulled the 318 outta my '73 Dodge club cab to do a 360 swap. I had to end up letting a local machine shop in Macon handle the job. I hired them to assemble it and one of their employees to install it on the side at his home. Found out I had a car oil pan so I ordered a truck pan from Summit. They sent the wrong one. unfortunately, I could not return it, because said idiots at the machine shop had tried to "modify" to fit the pickup that has also been sent for whatever the pan application was for. They butchered the pan up so bad, I could not return it. Fast forward to the "completion" of the "job". I got my truck back and all seemed to be well. Until one day the wife came home with a lot of valvetrain noise goin on. So, frustrated, at this point, I MADE myself climb into the engine bay and remove the valve covers. Yup, just as I suspected. The rocker shafts were installed upside down and backwards. This from a machine shop with more than FIFTY years experience in the Macon area. I also noticed that they guy who installed my engine crossthreaded all but ONE header bolt. Yeah. I'm tellin yall, those of you who don't know how to do this yourself, LEARN and learn to do it RIGHT. It will serve you well in life.
 
It's not just blueprint. Lots of issues with Indy's engines too... The last one I worked on was a $10K 425hp B wedge. It was supposed to be 500hp/500tq. Find a reputable shop locally, buy good parts, and have it done if you are not a builder. Assembling is easy. Building is not the same nor is it easy.
 
It's not just blueprint. Lots of issues with Indy's engines too... The last one I worked on was a $10K 425hp B wedge. It was supposed to be 500hp/500tq. Find a reputable shop locally, buy good parts, and have it done if you are not a builder. Assembling is easy. Building is not the same nor is it easy.

Puzackly.
 
How is tearing it down correct taper cylinder walls or cranks. If you think most of those places check and regrind those China cranks which aren't always perfectly machine think again, lol Same with the rods.

Just have your local shop do the machine work and assemble the motor yourself--then if you find a problem you can get a second look by the shop who did the work.
 
Just have your local shop do the machine work and assemble the motor yourself--then if you find a problem you can get a second look by the shop who did the work.

That's really why I was saying do it. At least it's not a crate/ship away. You can just show up with the car.
 
Just one other thing about blueprint engines. The place i got mine through had ordered 2 at the same time and i ended up going back one time and they still had the non dressed version of mine, (these motors state that they are hot ran and dyno'ed), sooo i ask if i can see the specks on the other motor, weeellll it was the same darn specks and dyno sheet mine had, so as far as the running the motor and then dyno'ed and shipped with results, i think thats all crap too.. So now I'm thinking i will just drive it till i got the cash to do a 426 Hughes stroker kit on it and get my engine guys to rip through the hole thing when they rebuild it for the 426...
I agree on getting someone local you trust to just rebuild it and do it like that, might cost a few bucks more, but in the end a way better engine.. but thats just my two bits....
 
321scamp,i bought one of there Short blocks (blue print) short block junk, on my second one now,service was also crap, took 9 months to resolve.please read the other post they make good sense.you will be happier in the long run, the BIG plus you will get more drive time and thats what it's all about. IMO
 
Lemmie tell yall a little story regarding this very thing. Back in early '99, RIGHT after my work accident, I couldn't do anything. Some days I couldn't get outta the bed. Hell......every once in a while I still cant. Anyway, at the time, I had just pulled the 318 outta my '73 Dodge club cab to do a 360 swap. I had to end up letting a local machine shop in Macon handle the job. I hired them to assemble it and one of their employees to install it on the side at his home. Found out I had a car oil pan so I ordered a truck pan from Summit. They sent the wrong one. unfortunately, I could not return it, because said idiots at the machine shop had tried to "modify" to fit the pickup that has also been sent for whatever the pan application was for. They butchered the pan up so bad, I could not return it. Fast forward to the "completion" of the "job". I got my truck back and all seemed to be well. Until one day the wife came home with a lot of valvetrain noise goin on. So, frustrated, at this point, I MADE myself climb into the engine bay and remove the valve covers. Yup, just as I suspected. The rocker shafts were installed upside down and backwards. This from a machine shop with more than FIFTY years experience in the Macon area. I also noticed that they guy who installed my engine crossthreaded all but ONE header bolt. Yeah. I'm tellin yall, those of you who don't know how to do this yourself, LEARN and learn to do it RIGHT. It will serve you well in life.

Sorry for your experience with that shop but they're not all like that..the machine shop i use is one of the best in the northeast and i and quite a few racers trust them to do any machine work, the gentleman that assembles them for me is top notch also..the key is finding someone you can trust..i applaud you though i wish i could assemble an engine..
 
How is tearing it down correct taper cylinder walls or cranks. If you think most of those places check and regrind those China cranks which aren't always perfectly machine think again, lol Same with the rods.

Just have your local shop do the machine work and assemble the motor yourself--then if you find a problem you can get a second look by the shop who did the work.

Simple. If you find stuff like that, then is your chance to correct it. While it's true that's mo money, it beats the hell out of doing the job twice.
 
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