Need a better designed oil pan

[SBSerpent]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

This is what it says at https://www.fordracingparts.com/part/M-6674-351 (emphasis mine):

Precision laser cut steel rails help minimize the chance of oil pan leaks on 351W based small block Ford Engines. These reinforcement rails are designed to be used with flat flange oil pans and one-piece silicone rubber oil pan gasket (PN M-6710-A351). These reinforcement rails are used on all Ford Performance 427-460 CID 351W based small block Crate engines

I know what it says, but I have no reason to believe these wouldn't work on a pan that doesn't have smooth / flat rails. I did a bunch of Internet searching and couldn't find any other rails, so it's either these or nothing.

Again, don't use bolts, use studs and nuts. I went to a local bolt supply and purchased the appropriate length 'set screws' and flange nuts, and put the set screws in with blue Loctite.

What the Ford Racing website makes sense to me. The reinforcing rails work best on a pan with flat rails. This way, the clamping force of the bolts or nuts is unilaterally distributed along the length of the rail. If you use these reinforcing rails on a pan that is NOT flat and has those 'protrusions' between each fastener hole, then the rail is never going to sit flat against the pan rail at those fastener locations - it is going to contact the pan only at the raised 'protrusions'. For this reason, I hesitate to use the reinforcing rails on a pan with rails that are not flat.

I do however, plan on using studs with nuts. Did you Loctite every stud where it threaded into the block?