[ignaro]

Hey everyone, I was hoping you all could help me figure out the right oil pan and whether I need to raise the 350 motor. I believe the 350 was out of a mid-70s Camaro.

I'm having a clearance issue with the center link hitting the front end of the oil pan. The one I just ruined has about 3.5" of depth in the front and 4" where it's hitting. Is there an oil pan that's more shallow? Should I just get another stock oil pan and dimple the area it's hitting?

I've got 2.75" of room between the air filter and the hood. Are there spacers I could use on the engine mounts to give me a little more clearance? What effect would that have on the trans and driveshaft?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Goatracer1]

How about a Chevelle oil pan ??????????????????

[ignaro]

Oil pan success!

Thought I'd post my success story in case anyone else comes across a similar problem in the future. Because the Chevy 350 sits so low in the car, I needed as much clearance as possible, especially on the front corners of the pan.

I got the Dorman 264-104 oil pan for $47 on amazon which has a rounder front end to it, rather than the stock pan which is square with rounded edges. I then further dimpled it by holding a 2" steel rod held against the pan, then hitting it rather firmly with a sledge hammer. This gave it a nice-looking dent with about 1/2" additional clearance. My center link of the suspension is comfortably clear of the pan now and I should be home free.

I also got the FelPro 1880 one-piece gasket which specifically says not to use any sealant or silicone. It works great so far.

Motor mounts turn out to be more of a pain that I'd initially thought. They're at a 45 degree angle so spacers will make things go in as much as up which won't work. The mounts I've got on there (I think) are from the 74-81 Camaro or Corvette donor car. They look really similar to the mounts for a '66 Chevelle as many users suggested. I didn't bother trying to find new ones. If I do need to raise the engine in the future, I'll probably get different brackets custom made. It looks like that's the "right" way to do it with some of the more extreme engine swaps and hot rods.

Lastly, in order to lift the motor high enough to get the oil pan off around the oil pickup, I wound up having to remove the fan shroud, driveshaft, exhaust, transmission (incl removing the shifter) and even the bell housing. What a pain but I pulled it off in a single Saturday with my friend's help. Don't break your oil pan!!