After reading all the above, and since I have the original 1968 242 block, pan and pump, I decided to investigate how it came from the factory. With original pump bolted in and block upside down, I measured the tallest point of the tilted screen 7 1/8" from oil pan mounting surface on the block. When I went to measure the pan depth, I wondered where to take my measurement, so I put a roll of tape on the pump intake screen and placed the pan (with drain plug in it). I discovered that the pan cannot be placed directly inline with mounting bolt holes, it needs to be be moved forward and then rear again for the screen to clear the drain plug. No one would normally notice this because the drain plug is removed before the oil pan. Due to the curved inlet pipe, the screen can pivot to avoid the drain plug once installed, but cannot be forward enough to miss it entirely. This tells me that, from the factory, the intake screen is installed so the drain plug end comes in above it, and that the screen itself tilts down into the well leading to the drain plug.
My new Melling M-54D-S came with intake screen tube 1/2" shorter which moves it off center toward passenger side but same front to back. It can ever interfere with the drain plug, but will miss the drain plug well so will need to be shallower than the original just to not hit the bottom of the pan.
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