BLEEDING BLUE SINCE 1982
400,000 engines built by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts.
A Legacy in the Making.
As cars and engines became better and lasted longer, our industry began to change. Engines started lasting 200,000 miles instead of 75,000; the world didn’t need as many rebuilt engines. CEO, Norris Marshall watched a lot of friends in that industry go broke as volumes came crashing down. At that point, we modified our direction to performance crate engines and launched the BluePrint Engines brand.
When BluePrint Engines began, the product was just a rebuilt engine with a hot cam and aluminum heads. Things have changed a lot since then. Today BluePrint is an OEM level manufacturer of new crate engines. We design our own blocks, heads, cranks, rods, oil pans; really every part of the engine is our design. We source components globally, made to our design and specifications for tolerance, material, and heat treat. Many of our sources are Tier 1, OE suppliers. BluePrint Engines designs and manufactures engines for GM, Ford, and Chrysler Vehicles.
Once we had all the parts to make new engines, we saw a need in the industrial market and launched our industrial division known as Origin Engines. These new engines are built for companies that manufacture items such as new gensets, forklifts, and wood chippers. These are companies with a global footprint and an OEM mentality. A majority of these engines are also EPA certified. We even have the test labs, cells, and equipment to perform the required emissions tests on-site at our facility. All together, for both brands, we manufacture around 100 new engines per day.
About norris
As a "car guy," Norris loves to spread the good word of the industry and is heavily involved in spreading education for the next generation of car lovers.
"Since I was young, car culture and automotives have been a central part of my life. Growing up, my father was the stereotypical 50’s hotrodder with the nostalgic flattop haircut and a 29’ Model A roadster that he built. Later, Dad would go on to drag race a front engine “slingshot” and eventually do some circle track racing.
However, as our family grew his racing career came to an end; except for the stories. I grew up hearing those stories and that was the spark that turned me into a car guy. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was bracket racing at multiple tracks in the Midwest, and later did some stock car racing.
I started my business in 1982 in a 4-car garage in a residential part of town. Back then I was doing machine shop work, boring blocks, valve jobs, etc… My customers were racers, street rodders, and shops.
The business grew into us doing complete engines, and eventually it turned into a factory where we re-manufactured engines. That business eventually topped out at 100 engines a day.
Over the last 25 years, we have produced almost 400,000 engines. We sold engines to retail stores like AutoZone and Napa." - Norris Marshall, CEO
Experience Where it matters
BluePrint Engines was started 40 years ago in a small garage in central Nebraska. What started as a passion for speed turned into a hobby, then a job, and finally a career.
Our founder, Norris Marshall, built one engine at a time for his friends and neighbors, and bit by bit his business and reputation grew. Drag racers, circle track racers, and street rodders all got some of the first engines produced by BluePrint Engines.
Most of us can relate to what happened next. Every day cars, or “grocery-getters,” were easier to sell to a LOT more people as babies, mortgages, and a need for financial security changed the way people shop. This shift pushed Norris into the mainstream and his success in that endeavor is legendary.
Our experience means that BluePrint is the best choice for your crate engine. But more importantly—you want to get that horsepower from a solid, reputable company that does the job right and stands behind it.
During our history, we have continued to build high-performance crate engines, and have always tried to give the buyer exactly what they wanted. That's another hallmark of BluePrint Engines - we build engines for all needs and budgets.
Most of our buyers are spending a lot of time on their car. Spend a little more time looking for an engine, and you'll see the BluePrint difference!
