Carolina Machine Engines? Machine shop in MA? Blueprint crate 408?

[64dartgt]

Looking to get a 1971 340 rebuilt.  Heads are done already.  Shop the engine is at quoted $5000 to bore it 0.060 (it is 0.030 and pitted now) but said the crank is 0.010 already and doesn't need beyond polishing.  Includes parts and assembly but it burns me  that the guy has had the engine since the fall and that we had discussed that I was expecting $3-4K.  Now I feel that he has wasted my time with this super high quote for just doing the block.

I contacted CME, who has had ads in Mopar Muscle for years, and they quoted me under $2K to do the motor.  It would be a pain to ship it, but it isn't that hard and the price is right.  I am also looking for alternate machine shops in MA.

Anybody buy a crate engine / have work done at CME in NC? 

Anyone recommend a good machine shop in MA that doesn't overcharge?  I mean...I accept that the guy who has it now is an artist...but all I am looking for is slightly warmer cam in an otherwise near stock 340.

Thanks in advance!  I did run searches, but there wasn't much so I am posting to see if there is any more recent experience.

Oh, also considering the Blueprint engines 408 crate engine.  I know at least one person has put one in.  At $4k it is an mighty attractive option too.   

[nrt69]

i bought a performance long block from CME...im still in the process of putting it in the car.
The price was right for me...after discounts and core fees taken off it will only cost me $1700 for a 360 with @360 horsepower. check back with me in a couple of weeks and ill tell ya how it runs.

[BluePrintEngines]

64dartgt,


   My name is Dru and I am the Product Manager for BluePrint Engines. Feel free to PM me if you have an questions - and I would be happy to help you out. We are in the process of adding new engines to the website, with some new options that we are really excited about- some are even priced lower Thanks!


Dru

[Brightyellow69rtse]

j&m machine is doing my 440. their in southboro. so far so good  http://www.jandm-machine.com/

[64dartgt]

I called them last year.  They wanted big bucks too.  I got a line on an outfit in Charlton I am going to call.  I also called my current guy and asked for clarification of the high cost.  He said that his quote was quick and dirty and that he was figuring $2K for parts because its a 340.  I told him I felt that was quite high compared to what I could get them for.  He said most cheap master kits contain cheap parts and he wanted to use forged pistons.  I found a federal mogul kit at Summit with forged pistons, chrome moly rings and a fel-pro gasket set for $630 and sent him the link. 

[64dartgt]

Had Armand Bessette at Bessette Motor Works in Charlton, MA rebuild the 1971 Hi-po 340 for me.  He said he didn't know that the guy's problem was at the first shop.  The rebuilt heads were fine, he just had to buz the rust off them.  He bored it 0.060, reused all the other new parts that were in my $850 ebay special (lifters, push rods, double roller timing set, etc...) and assembled it.  The only things that were unexpected were a new oil pan (old one was junk) and we never could figure out what the heck the new cam in it was.  He measured the lift and it was something like 0.490.  I told him I didn't want to go that radical and that it was worth it to me to buy a new cam so I would know what I was getting.  I called comp and they recommended a XE262H, which is what we went with.  Total bill...including the parts (he bought everything but the cam) and the cam was $2150. 

Armand is a Mopar fanatic and a great guy.  I will post an update after we fire the motor up and put a few miles on her, which will be in a couple of weeks.   

[FLG]

Glad it all worked out, whats the first shops name??

My engine dyno was done at Reids Automotive in Whitman, and since ive than decided to change the build and will just give it to them to put all together.

[64dartgt]

I'd rather not say, as he turned out to be a friend of a friend.  To be clear, I have nothing against him.  He seemed quite knowledgeable and treated me quite well except on price.  My friend, a mechanic, has him build all his race engines and he does exotics too. 

I made it very clear to him that it was a budget build and that I was looking to spend about $3K plus parts max as I thought the heads were done.  His initial quote was $5000.  After my first post I went back to him to give him a chance to explain his quote.  He clarified that he hadn't shopped parts, but had assumed $2K for parts because 340's are a bit rare.  I told him I could get the parts we needed for $700 from Summit and sent him the listing.  He then quoted about $3500 plus parts leaving the heads alone and just cleaning up some surface rust from sitting.  He had said that the three angle valve job on the heads was marginal and prefers cast iron guides to the new bronze guides in the heads already (that was what Bessette questioned...he felt the three angle valve job was fine as were the valve guides.  I can't speak to it myself, lacking experience). 

Price and the fact that he had the engine for nearly six months before he had time to find time to even tear it apart, sent me looking at crate engines.  His shop is very busy in the off season, but I wasn't in a hurry until it became June and I was still looking for options.  To be fair, the fact that the 340 had to go 0.060 and has a sleeve in one hole plus the fact that I was looking at $4K to build it contributed to that the decision to look at crate engines.  I was leery about dropping that much money into this particular block, even though it is a 71 high performance engine. 

In looking for other options I found Bessette.  I told him the work that needed to be done and he quoted me under a $1000 for the machine work, so (after a private moment with myself ) I asked him to put it together too.  I picked up the engine from the first place ($200 had been paid to have him tear it down) and dropped it off with Armand Bessette.  We talked for about a half hour about the plan.  Over the weekend both of us tried to trace the new cam in the motor to no avail, but he measured it and it was far more aggressive so I sent him the XE262 express mail from Summit.  By that time he had the block all done already and was waiting for the cam to finish it up.  The motor was done in a week.

The proof is in the pudding though.  I can't wait to here it run.  Pick up my $400 8.75 sure grip rear tomorrow.  That will finish up the drive train.

[nrt69]

i bought a performance long block from CME...im still in the process of putting it in the car.
The price was right for me...after discounts and core fees taken off it will only cost me $1700 for a 360 with @360 horsepower. check back with me in a couple of weeks and ill tell ya how it runs.

Just FYI...my engine was taken out last week and is being sent back to the builder!
Contact me before you do buisness with them.

[64dartgt]

Just FYI...my engine was taken out last week and is being sent back to the builder!
Contact me before you do buisness with them.
[/quote]

Sorry to hear it.  I was concerned that there would be more risk of having more problems if I didn't get a complete engine that they had run before shipping it.  It also had a significant impact on the warranty, as I recall.

[Challenger340]

i bought a performance long block from CME...im still in the process of putting it in the car.
The price was right for me...after discounts and core fees taken off it will only cost me $1700 for a 360 with @360 horsepower. check back with me in a couple of weeks and ill tell ya how it runs.

Just FYI...my engine was taken out last week and is being sent back to the builder!
Contact me before you do buisness with them.

What happened that has caused you to remove the Engine, and be sending it back to the builder ?

[nrt69]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,82598.0.html

I have no idea. I tried everything everyone suggested to me to get it running right. The last thing I did was a compression check which came back really low. That finally got the builders attention and they asked me to send it back to them. Im guessing its the timing chain, cam degree, rings, or heads.

Needless to say - im really p!$$ed off right now.

[64dartgt]

Definitely one of the reasons I stayed with someone local.  Just lucky I found someone I could afford.

[J and M Machine]

Just FYI...my engine was taken out last week and is being sent back to the builder!
Contact me before you do buisness with them.

Sorry to hear it.  I was concerned that there would be more risk of having more problems if I didn't get a complete engine that they had run before shipping it.  It also had a significant impact on the warranty, as I recall.
[/quote]

Hello Jim:
In response to you saying that we were too expensive.
I was honest with you on the phone when you called and said to save money you could supply your own parts.

In over 20 years we've been in business we've never had any comebacks due to our work or bad parts for that matter,you may pay a bit more but it's worth it not to have the headache of not having to take it out again.
www.jandm-machine.com/racing/racecars.html

[64dartgt]

Actually, I said you were expensive (Jim?).  I didn't say that you don't do good work as I have no experience with you.  I heard nothing but good things about the quality of work done by J and M...I am just doing a build on a budget and $2K buys a lot of parts if it stays in my wallet instead of someone elses.  For instance, in this case is bought a used 8.75 sure grip which I had rebuilt with 3.55 gears.  My 340 fired up yesterday and sounds awesome.  The rearend is going in today.   



Hello Jim:
In response to you saying that we were too expensive.
I was honest with you on the phone when you called and said to save money you could supply your own parts.

In over 20 years we've been in business we've never had any comebacks due to our work or bad parts for that matter,you may pay a bit more but it's worth it not to have the headache of not having to take it out again.
www.jandm-machine.com/racing/racecars.html
[/quote]

[nrt69]

Believe it or not, im still waiting for them to look at my engine.
Theyve had it over 2 weeks and apparently its not that high of a priority for them to fix it.

Theres so many things wrong with this company its not even funny.

[64dartgt]

Just called Armand at Bessette Motor Works to tell him the engine he built for me is running mint!  Unfortunately I wasn't as lucky with the rebuild of teh 8.75 rear I used the money I saved on.  It is whining badly and is going back to the shop next week 

[nrt69]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,82598.0.html

[cowboy4x4n]

kinda curious BluePrint.  i checked out different forums regarding your company and motor.  I am seeing alot of negative feedback as far as quality control, warranty replacment and plain customer service.  whats the deal.  I too was looking into your 408 build.  but after reading the hassle, i dont know  unless u can convince me otherwise

[64dartgt]

In hindsight, the 408 seemed like a really good deal, but the problem is that if you have a problem...you really have little to no recourse.  I certainly wouldn't recommend buying a short block, unless you were really going to check it out first.  If you look into it, you will find you will often have no warranty whatsoever if don't buy a complete engine that they have run themselves.  Themselves being anyone...CME...Blueprint...etc...

I found that the prices for a local rebuilder varied wildly.  I had to shop around until I found a rebuilder who fit my budget.  Word of mouth proved the best.  I could have gotten what would have been a good engine rebuild from a couple of reputable shops for $5000.  It is just that I am building a toy 73 Charger with a 0.60 over 340 non-matching numbers.  I didn't want to sink more money into it than I had to when all I really wanted was a decent running close to stock rehab of the 71 340 motor I had picked up off of ebay.

Do what suits you.  Then hold yourself responsible for the consequences.  If you buy a 408 for 4k and end up taking it to a local shop and it needs a couple of thousand of work you pretty much broke even.  If it ran great for 4K you made out.  Just recognize that if they are rebuilding a good used block there can always be unanticipated things and that they will happen with a fair degree of regularity when you are buying a motor at a price point. 

You get what you pay for.  If you are fine with that.  Enough said.

Bob