Blueprint Engines 408ci Mopar Motor

-
6

64cudazack

Guest
Anyone Got Any Feedback On This Planning on buying it for my 64 cuda in the spring
 
I've heard good and bad on them. I don't like any crate engines really, and the cheaper ones are cheaper for a reason other than mass production numbers.

editing... I know there are members here that had good results so I dont want to say "they're junk"... I simply feel there are better paths to take.
 
I'm with Moper on this one,i don't trust any crate motors find a shop that you know you can trust and use the best quality of parts you can..
 
i know that i shouls not stick my nose into everyones posts.. ughh im shamed:read2: but.. my friend bought a 360 bluprint engine.. u get a bit more from ur money.. but u should teare it down and rebuild it for clerance and replace some parts.. there are some money savers in them.. if u cant build it yourself try http://www.speedomotive.com/CrateEngines.aspx they seem to be quite seriouse just a tip ofc.. no promotion
 
Thanks Guys im loving all this feedback
im only 18 so moeny is Extremely Tight
 
64cudazack said:
Thanks Guys im loving all this feedback
im only 18 so moeny is Extremely Tight
Click to expand...

Don't worry about putting the earth on it's ear the first go around with your car, I'm 20 and got my Duster as a bare shell when I was 16 (that's it in my avatar) I finished it the day of graduation so me and my buddies took that. My first time at the track it went 14.9 but I didn't care, I built it, I drove it 2hrs to the track, raced it all day and drove it back home without any problems, it wasn't tuned perfect and I was a lil bummed sitting in the staging lanes when a guy comes up to me and asks how ya doin? I say good, my first time racing, still needs tuning but oh well, the guys name was Lee Kaputska, he's got the orange Duster with the black vinyl pull back moon roof that goes 10.0s, his advice to me was "keep it simple, and always have fun, the more you try the more you learn, good luck" What I'm saying is I've been in your shoes and know how it is so even if you end up with a basic small block just have fun and be proud of what you've done. -Dylan
 
NorwayCuda69 said:
i know that i shouls not stick my nose into everyones posts.. ughh im shamed:read2: but.. my friend bought a 360 bluprint engine.. u get a bit more from ur money.. but u should teare it down and rebuild it for clerance and replace some parts.. there are some money savers in them.. if u cant build it yourself try http://www.speedomotive.com/CrateEngines.aspx they seem to be quite seriouse just a tip ofc.. no promotion
Click to expand...

OK,buy a motor done then tear it down.. kind of defeats the purpose of buying it complete,don't ya' think and if you feel you need to take it apart to check it out should you really be buying it from them???..i know several guys that bought crate motors,only ONE of them didn't have problems..buyer beware!!!
 
64CudaZak,

Think of the Delta. Money, Time and Quality. Two will prevail, just which two? If you have the where-with-all to do it yourself then the experience is worth every minute/dollar you spend.

I have had multiple "local" back in the day shops machine, assemble and build motors for me. There are no guarantees that they are any better then "crate motor builders" however all things being considered I would do a crate motor. I ant to drive. I have lot's of friends with good success using crate motors.
As Regan said to Gorbachev "trust but verify". Good luck
 
from every thing i have been hearing, if you go the crate route you really need to crack it open and check the clearances. in talking to the shop that will build my motor, some day, every crate motor he has had in his shop has had issues, right down to one of them was missing a main bearing half. so buyer beware. and if you are going top have to tear it apart, what are you saving. if money is tight, just be realistic. find a 360, and just have it gone thru, keep the factory crank/rods and what not. start slow (inexpensive) and work off of that. Had a friend that worked at Beck Racing Engines, there was a sign in the office that read speed costs, how fast can you afford to go? Most of the fun of this hobby is wrenching on the car and just being out there with your buddies. No matter how quick your car might be, you are are always going to want more anyway....:toothy10::toothy10::toothy10:
 
The blueprint engine can be built by anyone. I think it's always better to have yourself and one other individual like your machinist build the engine. Dont get too many folks involved, you need to know what has and hasnt been done. Develope a checklist,and build the engine as you can afford it. Keep track of everything in your checklist/buildbook,reciepts,tolerances,part #'s etc.

As said above,go for quality parts. Dont trust chinese stuff.Dont use it at all or only as a last resort.

Shop Fabo or ebay for the good deals. You can save hundreds of $$$ by having patience and waiting for the right deal.

Find a machinist you can trust. Test them out,act dumb and see how much they know. Tell them what you want to do and see what they say. Then put them in a position where you have to trust them and see how they do.
 
Michaeluser said:
64CudaZak,

Think of the Delta. Money, Time and Quality. Two will prevail, just which two? If you have the where-with-all to do it yourself then the experience is worth every minute/dollar you spend.

I have had multiple "local" back in the day shops machine, assemble and build motors for me. There are no guarantees that they are any better then "crate motor builders" however all things being considered I would do a crate motor. I ant to drive. I have lot's of friends with good success using crate motors.
As Regan said to Gorbachev "trust but verify". Good luck
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that my machine shop is one of the "best" on the east coast,and i use only ONE assembler they machine and assemble only the parts i pick out,who knows whos building these crate motors,and what the quality of work is,theres a reason they're refered to as "crap motors"..:-D
 
cudazach, if your funds are tight, build a strong 360 yourself. You can do it fairly cheaply, and learn alot about engines at the same time. Lots of good people here that have forgotten more about building engines than I will ever know! Pick their brains and they will help you build your 360.

A couple years down the road when funds allow, pull the engine and stroke it!!
 
I thought blueprint gave you a dyno sheet on the engine and a warranty? Got to be worth something. Of course it might not be the one for that engine(dyno sheet).
 
hmmmmm as there was so many ideas here why not suply u with 1 more..

Go to a scrap or maybe post here after a decent 360 engine.. strip of the heads and check the weer of the cylinders, pull pan and mains check or even maybe change the bearings.. replace oilpump, timing gear/chain and lifters. clean up the engine.. Now to the fun part.

Buy a mp M1 inntake, holley or proform 650vac, a set of Iron ram heads from clearwater(no need to buy monster magnums when u need to change springs anyways just be sure u have the LA style inntake bores). follow the cam guide on huges and find the 1 that suits ur needs dont forget the springs. buy edelbrock guideplates and studs.. find some good used chevy roller rockers.

things u have to do befor assembly:

plugg the oil hole in the block ut to the heads (aluminium/bronze cone), out of the box the valve job is bad so make a new 3 angle. find the thinnest head gasket on the market. when heads are on. get someone to help u determine the pushrod lenght should be around 7.625" to 7.650" (oil trough ofc)

Now u have a good strong engine for a low budget... when u have more money u can stroke it and u still have a good head/inntake combo.
 
i've heard good and bad about them. there were a few threads on moparts about the blueprint 408. a few guys had problems with them and the company didn't stand behind the motor. but like anything else who knows if the entire story was told .
 
Just buy a gasket set, some plasti gauge & a lil rtv and pull it apart to check.

They don't make the horse power 375/460 they should.jmo

should be like 475/485
 
Hey guys look, we have most/a lot of our [america] steel parts made over sea's in china.

Now...don't you think that since we do have so much made over there that by now we/they have made sure the metallurgy is correct?

So much has already been made over there by manufactures that haven't told us, until now.

I mean think about it for a second....
 
I talked to a guy that bought one and had problems with it right off (real low oil pressure) and called them right away and they tried every excuse in the book to lay the fault at his feet. He's a good mechanic and I'm reasonably sure he did things right so he didn't take it lying down and told them he would sue them and plaster it all over every board on the internet he could find about how they did him and they finally agreed to refund his money if he told no one (well he told me, just didn't plaster it on the net). He was still out all the work and time lost but at least he got his money back.
 
1wild&crazyguy said:
Hey guys look, we have most/a lot of our [america] steel parts made over sea's in china.

Now...don't you think that since we do have so much made over there that by now we/they have made sure the metallurgy is correct?

So much has already been made over there by manufactures that haven't told us, until now.

I mean think about it for a second....
Click to expand...

???

The whole is using everyone for MFGing... No big deal. Just like here in the states. One plant might be good the other crap. I deal with all kinds of of MFG's from here and there. Nothing is perfect. Even our beloved Mopar of today are MFG's in Mexico, South America and Canada. It's about what processes are in place that makes the difference not the location... Different discussion.

I would still look at $$$ vs. Time vs. Quality and you pick which wins...
 
Cheap +Fast = not reliable
Fast + reliable = not cheap
Reliable + cheap = not fast....

:p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top