[SS Performance]

I have a BBC 454 in my 69. It's a little tired and I'm thinking about replacing it.

I have been looking at crate motors, I would love to get a 427 but the only one I can find is GM Performance and it is a little high for my budget.

I see crate motor from Blue Print and ATK. does anyone know anything about either of them? Or can anyone suggest a different supplier.

I'm not looking for big cubic inches, Like I said I would prefer a 427 but if I can't find that I'll go with a 454.

Thanks
Craig

 

[copo9560]

For the money look at Vortec Pro, lots of fans over at Team Chevelle

VortecPro - Racing & Machine - Homepage

 

[Vega$69]

Blueprint Hands Down

 

[dhutton]

Recently installed a BP 383. One of their dyno tested ready to run packages. It didn’t produce enough vacuum for power brakes. 7 inches. It seems that they made a cam substitution due to supply chain shortages. Also when I called them they said it had to be run with vacuum advance disconnected or it would have too much total advance. A complete chit show…

Don

 

[ZZ_430]

I received BP383, and I went to change to different valve covers.

That's when I saw a rocker arm off the valve and just sitting there. If that's an example of their work I want nothing to do with them.

I got rid of it.

 

[Indyguy]

I have a VortecPro from Mark Jones and am happy, just be prepared to wait at least 6 months.
I have heard LOTS of good things about BluePrint too.

 

[DOUG G]

No local machine shops ?

Cubic inches makes torque, torque is what moves you and set you back in the seat, so my vote is since you have a BBC, and all the parts that make it fit... 468"
Just keep the compression down to run pump gas.(9:1)

Maybe @BillK will be along to give his advice ?

 

[ss27]

No local machine shops ?

Cubic inches makes torque, torque is what moves you and set you back in the seat, so my vote is since you have a BBC, and all the parts that make it fit... 468"
Just keep the compression down to run pump gas.(9:1)

Maybe @BillK will be along to give his advice ?

No local machine shops ?

Cubic inches makes torque, torque is what moves you and set you back in the seat, so my vote is since you have a BBC, and all the parts that make it fit... 468"
Just keep the compression down to run pump gas.(9:1)

Maybe @BillK will be along to give his advice ?

i agree with Doug G .I have heard many good things about Mark jones Vortec Pro with many happy customers . I am not a proponent of store bought engines . The reason is quite simple if something goes wrong i want to see and talk to somebody not a phone number 2, 000 miles away and the CHASE IS ON . i am also a firm believer that too many hands spoil the SOUP and the ENGINE . There is a huge difference when your livelihood and Reputation depend on the finished product . This is where THE QUALITY GOES IN BEFORE THE NAME GOES ON if you want to stay in a small business.I did everything from tear down all the machining and assemblywith strict attention to every little detail. Next comes the customer service it has to be really good dealing one on one with the customer. I always gave all my customers my very best and they in turn gave me customer loyalty. I may be an old dinosaur but i think that's the way it should be. Like Doug said maybe Bill K will pop in on this . i would like to hear his take on this . Alex

 

[SoCal805]

Between BPE and ATK, Blueprint all the way. I am sure any builder can have issues, including BPE. For me my BPE has been very solid.

With that said I always remove VC and pan and check TQ on everything....including the BPE in my 67. No issues on my motor. YMMV

 

[srode]

I haven't heard anything negative about BPE until Don's comment above.

I don't own of their builds, but did consider them when shopping and found it was easy to get in touch on the phone, talk the technical details of the engine I was considering and even talk with the dyno room guy about how they tested and came up with the claimed numbers. If they had built a GenV LT option I would probably have bought from them, but they didn't. It's hard to beat their warranty, it's even better than GM. If I was going to buy from them I would call and go over all the details of the build to make sure it met my needs before money changed hands. Due diligence is important when shopping for something like this IMHO.

 

[fairfax1000]

Recently installed a BP 383. One of their dyno tested ready to run packages. It didn’t produce enough vacuum for power brakes. 7 inches. It seems that they made a cam substitution due to supply chain shortages. Also when I called them they said it had to be run with vacuum advance disconnected or it would have too much total advance. A complete chit show…

Don

Seems you got the old "bait and switch". That's f'd up. Did they offer to make it right?

 

[ilikeike]

For the money look at Vortec Pro, lots of fans over at Team Chevelle

VortecPro - Racing & Machine - Homepage

Yes, this one --> 496 CU IN, 700 + HP, 680 TQ, AFR heads, 10.4 compression, 238-248 @ .050 hyd roller, very popular engine. Sold intake to pan, balancer to flexplate. 12595.00

 

[ridesdirt]

I have a BPE 383 in my car, it is an older one with cast iron heads and flat tappet cam. I am pleased with mine and would consider BPE on a future purchase, but as @srode mentioned - due diligence when buying a engine. There are other builders I will look at if I decide to outsource the engine when the time comes. BPE does make it easy, and they have a great reputation, but I am sure a few bad apples have shipped out...

BPEs website does have info stating to not run a VA, I have seen a lot of discussion on the internet about that.
But read this:
Timing & Vacuum Advance 101
Very interesting read with excellent explanation of what is going on inside the engine when running a VA.

 

[The Camaro Guy]

BPE or rebuild your BB.

 

[ilikeike]

If you have a street car, I believe you're missing out if you don't use a properly setup vacuum advance.
Crank the engine on 8~10 or so degrees, as soon as it fires, vac pulls it to around 25 or so.. cruising down the highway at light throttle with lots of vacuum, get that advance up there, high 30s or even into the 40s if that's your tune.

 

[dhutton]

Seems you got the old "bait and switch". That's f'd up. Did they offer to make it right?

Nope. Tech support was just some guy reading notes related to that part number. He didn’t know anything beyond that. Pretty surprised that such a highly regarded company was so poor. As far as running with vacuum advance disconnected, that is complete BS…

Don

 

[ridesdirt]

straight off the BPE website:

• Start the engine and set base timing to 10-16°BTDC and verify that total timing is 32-34° degree at 3500rpm. (This is all just mechanical advance only. Do not have vacuum advance hose hooked up and please do not use vacuum advance unless you have the BP3023CTC)

I have no idea why they don't like VA.

 

[Vega$69]

Nope. Tech support was just some guy reading notes related to that part number. He didn’t know anything beyond that. Pretty surprised that such a highly regarded company was so poor. As far as running with vacuum advance disconnected, that is complete BS…

Don

I’ve done a few and correct would not run right with VA connected. The latest a BP383 in a 64 Vette. Runs great but I suspect rich at idle and we are getting occasional dieseling on shut down.

Recently an over voltage issue blew the dizzy module. BP gave me the contact info for the distributor supplier to get a new module. Top Street Performance in SoCal. They were great and had us a new part next day.

I will give them a call and discuss the VA.
Don’t understand why BP would install a dizzy with a VA and say not to use it.

 

[SoCal805]

I will give them a call and discuss the VA.
Don’t understand why BP would install a dizzy with a VA and say not to use it.

My guess is on motors making big power BPE is taking a safer approach, given any a hole with a cc can buy one of their engines but may not be the best mechanic, is when using VA that has not been measured or controlled (read Dave Ray 411 about that) than with let's say 14 degrees initial and 35 (without VA) at 3k rpm they are safe not running to much timing. Some guy may wind up over advanced hooking up VA that is not controlled (using a stop plate and adjustable VA) and wind up with to much timing, detonation...boom......and a warranty call ensues

Still if it's a full long block complete with dizzy that has VA that was supposedly run on a dyno...they would also set up VA right to be happy with "that" motor. Weird they would provide a VA dizzy and say not to use it but if so, I suspect for the reason I noted above.

I will look again at my BPE 411 as I do not remember anything saying NOT to hook up VA. I do remember it saying to set initial and mechanical timing without VA hooked up, that's normal.

 

[RifRaf]

Don’t understand why BP would install a dizzy with a VA and say not to use it.

I was writing my response the same time SoCal805 posted theirs.

This is only a guess... but I think there are 2 reasons why BP doesn't want anyone to connect the distributor's VA.

• 1 - It seams that the distributor provided with many chevy BP engines is an aftermarket distributor with an adjustable VA can. The adjustable VA can on these distributors can add 20+ additional degrees of timing to your mechanical timing... and is normally to much additional timing. I don't think BP goes to the level of "fine tuning" the advance curve to include the optimal VA settings while operating the engine during a light throttle/cruising situation. It seems they are just concerned with HP/TQ numbers while the engine is on the dyno under "full load" engine pulls (no engine vacuum). If someone were to connect the distributor's VA "as is" to engine vacuum... there is a risk that engine detonation could happen due to too much "total" timing. That is why many of us have installed a VA stop plate (to limit the degrees of VA to about 10°- 12°) when connecting these distributor's VA to a vacuum source. But not everyone knows how to do this correctly, so it is much easier for BP to state "do not hook up the VA on the distributor" due to reason #2 below.
• 2 - These engine come with a warranty... so BP is just protecting itself with a "safe" engine advance curve that will still produce max HP/TQ while the engine is under load (aggressive acceleration).

I agree with what SoCal805 posted... when BP is building a "fully assembled" engine (carb to oil pan including a distributor), it seems like they could take the extra steps to "fine tune" the distributor (as mentioned in #1 above) for optimal engine performance during ALL driving conditions.