How Can They Do This So Cheap?

Until seeing this motor thanks to this thread, I had pretty much decided after a long thought process to rebld the poly 318 settling for maybe 330-340 HP for around $5k less torque, stroke, and a must need for headers to obtain that HP. Building the poly to get anywhere near what the crate has is around a $10k motor again from what research I've done. So thinking costs and power not looking for a plus 400 or more HP screamer in my old carriage. My poly still runs like a clock, uses no oil and is "peppy" after some mild upgrades. What to do?? Great advice about these motors; thanks Mopar and Johnny.

Ron H said:

Until seeing this motor thanks to this thread, I had pretty much decided after a long thought process to rebld the poly 318 settling for maybe 330-340 HP for around $5k less torque, stroke, and a must need for headers to obtain that HP. Building the poly to get anywhere near what the crate has is around a $10k motor again from what research I've done. So thinking costs and power not looking for a plus 400 or more HP screamer in my old carriage. My poly still runs like a clock, uses no oil and is "peppy" after some mild upgrades. What to do?? Great advice about these motors; thanks Mopar and Johnny.

Click to expand...

Batter up: http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/iron-headed-sb-360-vs-408-la-vs-magnum.122357/

For what it's worth my own real world experience with blue print engines is very positive.

I have used the 383 Chevy stroker with the blueprint cyinder heads. It was a strong performer and had zero issues. I text the guy that owns the car this morning he is now at 23,000 miles on it with just oil changes.

The second was also the 383 with Blueprint aluminum heads. It has been in a 73 gmc truck for about 8 months now. I followed him to Oregon in my diesel hauler he was pulling his travel trailer and I was sure my diesel would walk all over him on the passes and I was suprised it held its own.

I put a Blueprint 383 stroker in my Stingray. ....I was VERY happy with it!

Did some see the price on a 350 GM long block? Under $1500! Thats amazing to me. A machinist from my job, his family owned a automotive machine shop. Several years ago he told me he could not recall the last time they did a small block GM due to the low price of these crate motors. All he did was hard to get engines or people wanting original motor that was in vehicle. Not long ago they closed shop and now there is not one automotive machine shop on this island. Years ago you could take your pick

Yeah -my two trusty go to sources doing block/head work around me have retired so looking for new sources. My1st choice is having the machine work done and doing the rest as I had done in the past. Sources I find want to do entire motor making a steeper hill cost-wise. When looking at $20-25k between engine/trans and body work saving a couple grand on stuff I can do is preferred...

No issues with disagreeing. I am picky, and I do want to know. And after 30 years of these things you've seen almost everything. That's why I am how I am. I'll add - my customers benefit from my "darker view"...lol.
In regard to Blueprint directly its a feeling that I get, knowing what I do, from the way it's advertised. I agree - the majority of crate engine buyers are in a predicament - be it money, time, or availbility of quality locally. So to me, listing dyno sheets and that it's sonic tested, and the warranty are misleading and by design target those who know they need or want something, but do not have the familiarity with the mass rebuilder world. Read the warranty. It leaves the decisions regarding warranty to Blueprint, and does not include paid labor but rather whatever BP thinks it might be worth, it has to all have been done by a licensed repair facility to be valid, and it does not include freight. A buyer that installs it and has an issue has little recourse. Period.
I mentioned the history because I was there when they were first written. Strangely I do not give much credence to internet silence and "we got better".
I've installed my share of crate engines. Mostly during my tenure as a tech. GM crates, whether produced by GM or others, have a MUCH better track record (pun intended) than any Mopar crates. And pricing is always a function of two main things: prices of parts; and potential market. In comparison GM crates sell by the thousands. Mopar crates sell by the hundreds. Profit in crate engines is in parts sourcing and speed with which machining and assembly can be done. Cheap engines simply cannot get the attention a performance engine should get. At least according to me...lol. They have their place.
It's like comparing a $7 bottle of wine with a really nice label with a $40 bottle with a really nice label. Some people will think wine-is-wine and love it. Some can't tell because they've never had a $40 bottle. Ignorance can be bliss.

Here is the warranty in case anyone wants to read it. I know for a fact that they have excellent customer service, and i can attest that i have warrantied more GM goodwrench engines that i ever have blueprint. ANY company worth their weight has to have stipulations and disclaimers to protect themselves. Its not that they won't help a guy who installs one himself. It's that if you install it yourself, you can't take it to a dealership and have it swapped out at an expense of $5K, and expect someone else to pick the tab up.

http://www.blueprintengines.com/index.php/warranty/engine-warranty

A well-reputed Mopar engine shop in my area I had been talking to on my poly rebuild mentioned they can't come close to the price but said reason cost is appealing is many of the parts are made in China. I've encountered some nasty quality issues with Chinese components at a couple of my customer's mfg plants...and then at times not an issue. Problem is "at times"...

Ron H said:

A well-reputed Mopar engine shop in my area I had been talking to on my poly rebuild mentioned they can't come close to the price but said reason cost is appealing is many of the parts are made in China. I've encountered some nasty quality issues with Chinese components at a couple of my customer's mfg plants...and then at times not an issue. Problem is "at times"...

Click to expand...

Blueprint uses scat assemblies on the mopar engines.....the same ones that a machine shop would order. The difference is ordering them at 100 At a time or one at a time.

Reading a LOT of reviews on them and seems about a 65/70% success rate people rating 1-5 among sites I've checked out. Rough count. Maybe this is par for the course. Some nice efforts by the company, even the president replying to some complainers. As it is I'm between rebld my poly or buy the crate for about the same price. Crate would get me a bunch more HP, stroke, and such...but not sure where I'd use it anyway.

Ron H said:

Reading a LOT of reviews on them and seems about a 65/70% success rate people rating 1-5 among sites I've checked out. Rough count. Maybe this is par for the course. Some nice efforts by the company, even the president replying to some complainers. As it is I'm between rebld my poly or buy the crate for about the same price. Crate would get me a bunch more HP, stroke, and such...but not sure where I'd use it anyway.

Click to expand...

As stated before. Look at the dates on your found sources. Any recent ones?

Unable to give you an argument Johnny; you know a lot more about this than I do given your experiences you've mentioned with Blueprint. I'm one of those who has trouble deciding what to have for dinner...

Ron H said:

Unable to give you an argument Johnny; you know a lot more about this than I do given your experiences you've mentioned with Blueprint. I'm one of those who has trouble deciding what to have for dinner...

Click to expand...

Hey Ron,

I hope you'll see i'm not the "fishing for an argument" type just throwing out correct/ informative info when i see fit. Again the internet is a wealth of information..but you'll find w/e you're looking for. whether it be good or bad. It's just important to make your own educated decision, and take things like "dates" and statements like "well an engine builder told me...." with a grain of salt
If you find a post from 1998, and your engine builder have never seen/touched/installed an engine from said MFG...then what good is that opinion?

Again I hope you see i'm not forcing product down anyones throat, or anything like that. Just trying to save face for one of my more reputable manufactures. If i gain a sale, great, If you rebuild your poly, thats great too as they are cool old motors. But at least someone else reading this in the future will know BP uses scat, They have a great warranty, Have very few present day issues, etc.

Reguardless of where the crank comes from, so long as it performs well under stress. No matter the rating. If your looking for a high stress crank, Eagle, Scat cranks are pretty stout in the forged units. Beyond that, I suggest you start looking at race cranks. Like Bryant .... etc...

What your machinists orders and from whom is part of your engine and biz, so you should know when it is being built. Change manufacturers if you wish.