G-body oil pan
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On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Akron Ohio
G-body oil pan Im sure this top has been exhausted time and time again here however using the search feature has not netted me the answer I was looking for..
Im going to install my 5.3 motor into my 1983 Cutlass supreme.. ok simple enough.. Im sure its been done a bazillion times.. Im wondering if I can get away with using the truck oil pan as long as I hack off about 3 inches so the pan is roughly flush with the filter.. Or Is there a better approach? I'm a diyer and of course I could shell out a couple C notes and get the appropriate pan but I want to save my cash for other aspects of this swap..
the truck pan looks reminiscent of the olds/chevy style rear sumper so I can't foresee any issues with clearance with the exception of the big ol' set of nuts I would have dangling under the car asking for a speed bump to kick..
Thanks guys.
Im going to install my 5.3 motor into my 1983 Cutlass supreme.. ok simple enough.. Im sure its been done a bazillion times.. Im wondering if I can get away with using the truck oil pan as long as I hack off about 3 inches so the pan is roughly flush with the filter.. Or Is there a better approach? I'm a diyer and of course I could shell out a couple C notes and get the appropriate pan but I want to save my cash for other aspects of this swap..
the truck pan looks reminiscent of the olds/chevy style rear sumper so I can't foresee any issues with clearance with the exception of the big ol' set of nuts I would have dangling under the car asking for a speed bump to kick..
Thanks guys.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
You can make the truck pan work in the g-body. However, the truck pan is ~2" deep in the front section and if you are trying to set the motor in so that the crankshaft sits at the same height and angle as the factory small block, the truck pan will be sitting against the crossmember before the front of the motor is low enough. If you are using a set of bolt on adapter plates for the motor mounts it should raise the motor enough to clear the k-member.
If you know someone who can weld aluminum, shortening the pan is fairly easy.
If you know someone who can weld aluminum, shortening the pan is fairly easy.
Depending on the motor mounts the muscle car pan may sit below the crossmember about 1/2 to full inch. I went with the autokraft pan which is a little pricey but I couldn't afford to do multiple test fits of the engine and I liked that it had the integrated fuel filter attachment.
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On The Tree
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From: Akron Ohio
I've been going back and forth with this topic in my head.. I plan on using factory SBC mounts with the side plate adapters simply because I have the parts on hand.. If the pan comes in contact with the crossmember worse comes to worse I could always elevate the mounts on the frame
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Verdad Gallardo Hah I had one of these pan come down at me at work once because I didn't start the bolt enough. Poor armadillo!
If you are good with a welder you may want to cut an inch off. Mine hangs even with the headers as does mervs so I didn't even bother. Nice piece and cheaper than a cts-v pan. You can't even get the old style cts pan, so you'll have to fight with the mounting bosses on the side
If you are good with a welder you may want to cut an inch off. Mine hangs even with the headers as does mervs so I didn't even bother. Nice piece and cheaper than a cts-v pan. You can't even get the old style cts pan, so you'll have to fight with the mounting bosses on the side
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Akron Ohio
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
I cut the truck pan for my brothers swap. The easiest way I found was to cut it apart with a sawzall
(12" Torch blade preferred). Then put an endmill in the drillpress (yeah I really wish I had a mill) and slide the pan around the drillpress table till the edges were all milled to exactly the same height. I used the drillpress/mill to true up the edges of the bottom section that was welded back on.
(12" Torch blade preferred). Then put an endmill in the drillpress (yeah I really wish I had a mill) and slide the pan around the drillpress table till the edges were all milled to exactly the same height. I used the drillpress/mill to true up the edges of the bottom section that was welded back on. 
That's what I'm talkin about. Love your spirit. Screw payin out 150 for a pan. Hack it, weld it and if you f it up throw it in the scrap pyle then go buy the swap pan. That's how you learn the best man. The way I see it I can screw a lot stuff up and its still cheaper than a college education. Lol although if I totalled all of my damages it would be a close one!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
Yeah we had 3-4 extra truck pans sitting around so it was basically free. Plus on my brothers swap (B-Body GM) there are not any GM pans that fit. The f-body and vette pans extend too far forward, the truck, musclecar, and ctsv pans all hang under the crossmember. The pans are surprisingly strong though, he drove the car with a truck pan hanging 3" below the crossmember and bottomed it several times. The pan was all scrapped up and he ended up breaking 2 mounting ears off the upper drivers side of a TH400 trans but it never cracked the pan.
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Joined: Jan 2010
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I finally looked under my car with the Muscle car swap pan, i custom made my motor mounts and put the pan a half inch above the crossmember.
It hangs scary low, i havent measured yet. But with me and a passenger in it im thinking 4 inches of ground clearance or less. My car does sit low so i might think of getting better front springs to keep it stiff or build a small scraper off of the crossmember.
It hangs scary low, i havent measured yet. But with me and a passenger in it im thinking 4 inches of ground clearance or less. My car does sit low so i might think of getting better front springs to keep it stiff or build a small scraper off of the crossmember.