Technical Flathead oil pan mystery

Dear experts, I have an oil pan for a late flathead. It has a plate welded to the bottom of the sump in the rear. There are 3 studs sticking out of this plate. This pan also has a windage tray. What is the plate and studs for? Thanks in advance Dave Miller

 

I had a '49/'50 Merc flathead and bellhousing and there was a plate that bolted to the studs on the pan and to the forward face of the bellhousing......a brace of sorts.

Ray

 

Does it have a big cleanout hole in the bottom? If so, I think it's a truck pan.

 

Your pan came on '49-'50, and a few carry-over '51 Mercurys. The studs bolt to a bracket that is riveted to the starter plate used with the 3" stamped steel 1/2 bell. Ford evidently felt additional support was needed for the Merc and the '48-'52 cast iron truck 3" 1/2 bell, as the truck pan bolts directly through their starter plate to the bell.
Open the link below and you'll see how these parts relate.
http://www.flatheadv8.org/bellhousing.pdf

 

And Merc is I think only one with windage tray. Look for an oil pump pickup that has the missing piece of tray welded to it...when all is put together, that hole in tray is filled in by the piece on the pickup.

 

Do I have to use that oil pickup with the windage tray? Are they available? I havent seen them in any catalogs I have Dave

 

No......... as stated above, most Ford/Merc flatheads did not have a windage tray. Having a gap in yours has no real consequence.

Ray