TKOPerformance wrote:

Apparently cast and machined in the USA too! 

   I wonder how much that will increase the price of there crate engines.  
 

KeithP wrote:

Steve69 wrote:

TKOPerformance wrote:

Apparently cast and machined in the USA too! 

   I wonder how much that will increase the price of there crate engines.  
 

The new blocks are currently only available in their 302 Cruiser line. Looks like there is no premium for the new block.

 IIRC their 302 builds we’re using sonic tested  “ hand picked seasoned cores” bored .060” over.

Didn't know about the block shortage.

BTaylor wrote:

I have one of the seasoned block 347 engines I bought a couple years ago. I was told they would be machining there own soon.
 

 I emailed them today and they only offer that new block in the 302 Cruiser line. No 347 yet.

Are you happy with the 347 from them? Carb or EFI?
 

TKOPerformance wrote:

6sally6 wrote:

red351 wrote:

Didn't know about the block shortage.

X-2!
I thought there were more 302/5.0 blocks than Shivel-layz......in the salvage yards
6sal6 

Nah, I doubt that.  The 350 was built in some form or another from 1967 until 2002.  They used them in everything.  Its probably close with the number of 5.0s during the production run of the 5.0, but the 5.0 wasn't available until '82 and was out of production in '97.  The 350 by contrast never went out of production until production ceased. 

Blueprint already makes their new 350 block. I think it's just a matter economics.

I buy darn near every 5.0 roller cam block that I see for sale, whether complete engine or bare block.  They are getting scarce.  Alot of Explorers just get crushed, block and all.

I have a few “spares” right now, waiting for future projects.

If they start selling the blocks outright, then THAT would be a deal !

Yea. I agree on the 351 blocks, I have 2 standard bore 351 roller short blocks ( complete without heads) that I am protecting while I search out that next project.

Hopefully there’s a F100 in my future someday

You would be getting a better block.  Do they offer a warranty?  If so that’s another bonus.

Steve69 wrote:

TKOPerformance wrote:

KeithP wrote:

Blueprint already makes their new 350 block. I think it's just a matter economics.

Probably.  On the other side they would have to buy a core engine, tear it down, Magnaflux and sonic check it, and cook it before they could even machine it.  Any core that fails the tests ends up as scrap and they spent money on it with no means to recoup it. 

Now, the downside is that the new blocks haven't been heat cycled so they aren't as dimensionally stable as a used core.  A racer I used to know would build a potential race block into a mule motor for his tow rig and run it for 100k miles.  Then tear it down and start with the block after it had been seasoned.  Did it make a difference?  Hard to say, but he won a lot of races and was highly respected. 

    I took my explorer block into the machine shop to have cam bearings installed in my 5.0 block.  I thought since I had it there have them check everything out.  We'll of course the cylinders needed to be bored 30 over.   Then to have it all machined it was around $850.  So I was going to do that and order a stroker kit.  Balancing the Stroker Kit is another $360.  The machine shop is backed up until March 2023 for Machine work.  The Stroker kits are on back order until April.  So for the block cleaning and checking for cracks Im already into the block for $270.00.  So I decided to take the block home and pay the $270.  I think Im just going to go with a Blue Print crate engine.   When I started pricing out all the parts I have and what I need to buy Im almost at $6500 and I have still have to put it together.  

Steve69  
 

There long blocks have a 30 month 50,000 mile warranty.  

RTM wrote:

You would be getting a better block. Do they offer a warranty? If so that’s another bonus.

Steve69 wrote:

TKOPerformance wrote:

Probably.  On the other side they would have to buy a core engine, tear it down, Magnaflux and sonic check it, and cook it before they could even machine it.  Any core that fails the tests ends up as scrap and they spent money on it with no means to recoup it. 

Now, the downside is that the new blocks haven't been heat cycled so they aren't as dimensionally stable as a used core.  A racer I used to know would build a potential race block into a mule motor for his tow rig and run it for 100k miles.  Then tear it down and start with the block after it had been seasoned.  Did it make a difference?  Hard to say, but he won a lot of races and was highly respected. 

    I took my explorer block into the machine shop to have cam bearings installed in my 5.0 block.  I thought since I had it there have them check everything out.  We'll of course the cylinders needed to be bored 30 over.   Then to have it all machined it was around $850.  So I was going to do that and order a stroker kit.  Balancing the Stroker Kit is another $360.  The machine shop is backed up until March 2023 for Machine work.  The Stroker kits are on back order until April.  So for the block cleaning and checking for cracks Im already into the block for $270.00.  So I decided to take the block home and pay the $270.  I think Im just going to go with a Blue Print crate engine.   When I started pricing out all the parts I have and what I need to buy Im almost at $6500 and I have still have to put it together.  

Steve69