Mods to BBF fox oil pan for k-member rack clearance

I'm in the process of setting up my first BBF in an 87 fox notch. Goal is to have the engine as far back as possible with stock firewall and crank centerline lined up with pinion. My assumption with parts still on the way is the the Canton swap pan I picked a few years ago will need to trimmed up front. I run an Peterson external wide vac oil pump so I don't need the front sump clearance. Has anyone done this? Pictures? things to watch out for? Minimum recommended clearance to crank? All my cars have bed nearly Mustangs with front sump pans, this rear sump deal will be new for me. I'll be welding in a -16 pick-up tube and screened box in the rear sump.

Most of us just space the K member and rack lower.

I wouldn't cut it any shorter than the middle portion of the pan.  I think my Moroso pan is 5" deep in the middle.  The rack sits under the middle portion and mine sits right on the rack.  My front sump would need to be removed to slide the engine back any more.  Then you'd have to worry about the balancer hitting the rack, but it's out there a bit...

My midplate is right on the firewall.  I left enough room to slide a wrench behind it to bolt it up.  Unless you're going to notch the firewall and such you may not need to remove that front sump at all. You may not be able to get it far enough back to require removal of that sump.

We put my bbf into my sn95 car with Skinny Kid motor plates and a Racecraft K member. They have one for BBF's

That is with a Canton pan

jbozzelle wrote:I wouldn't cut it any shorter than the middle portion of the pan.  I think my Moroso pan is 5" deep in the middle.  The rack sits under the middle portion and mine sits right on the rack.  My front sump would need to be removed to slide the engine back any more.  Then you'd have to worry about the balancer hitting the rack, but it's out there a bit...

My midplate is right on the firewall.  I left enough room to slide a wrench behind it to bolt it up.  Unless you're going to notch the firewall and such you may not need to remove that front sump at all.  You may not be able to get it far enough back to require removal of that sump.

X2, last year I had a FRPP swap pan in my 87, it's about 1/8" from my steering racking. I bought a used Canton pan for one of my 2014 changes. I have an AJE k-member with a front plate. My tunnel has been raised at the firewall to clear the ultrabell the last owner had on his glide. My k-member is not shimmed down from the body at all. My engine is pretty much as far back as you can go without having the tunnel altered. I'll post some pics later when I get home.

Just slice off the oil pump sump while allowing adequate drain back of the oil pan. Canton as well other oil pan manufactures offer a pan without the oil pump sump and oil pickup mechanisms installed. I like the idea and it let's you lower the engine/trans in the car as long as header fitment and pinion alignment can be satisfied.

Dave.

I don't see the need to set the engine back, You can stand one on the bumper with the engine in the stock location if your suspension is right.

IDT-572 wrote:I don't see the need to set the engine back, You can stand one on the bumper with the engine in the stock location if your suspension is right.

Baller...


My trans tunnel is also completely gone which helped in raising the tailshaft to get the driveline in line with the pinion. One huge advantage of that is the headers tuck nicely now.

Hey Blake, I think I have your old Kooks mocked up on my car... They don't hang low like in your picture.

jbozzelle wrote:

IDT-572 wrote:I don't see the need to set the engine back, You can stand one on the bumper with the engine in the stock location if your suspension is right.

Baller...


My trans tunnel is also completely gone which helped in raising the tailshaft to get the driveline in line with the pinion.  One huge advantage of that is the headers tuck nicely now.

Hey Blake, I think I have your old Kooks mocked up on my car...  They don't hang low like in your picture.

That's the only thing I didn't like about them, nice set of headers................

I was pondering your idea and the only gain you have by cutting the oil pump sump off level with the upward notch that is between the sumps, will allow you to move the engine toward the firewall. Kim made the proper suggestion, lower the rack as far as possible. Another option would be to fabricate within your engine carriage an open area beneath the oil pan. On a Fox platform we built, we located the oil pans notch about 3/8" above the rack and used offset rack mounting bushings. Everything worked nice and we didn't have to wrestle any parts into place. One thing for sure, removing the oil pump sump will remove an useless quart of oil!

Dave.

I didn't use a Fox pan but a custom Billet Fab deal, front of the pan is 5" deep with just barely 1/4" clearance to the rack, and the K member is a AJE with 1-1/2" dropped rack mounts. You can't get much lower than that or things will start dragging. One reason I ran the collectors out the side.

Damn Doug, your spending too much time cleaning! Looks great!

Dave.

There is some great information here, thank you. This build is primarily for Hot Rod Drag Week, NMRA True street and just general driving around having fun. That means I have to have an exhaust system and some place to put it so I don't arrive deaf in Great Bend. The engine location is an interesting topic as the conventional wisdom has the crank more or less in a straight line to the pinion and more or less at the same height.

The engine is an IDT Premier block 598" with TFS A heads and tunnel ram, two throttle bodies and EFI. It made just over 1000 on 91 Chevron last dyno at 588" and we've stepped up the cam a little bit for the 598". The net is the sucker is HEAVY, but I'd like to be able to go down most tracks reliably. Oh, and I've been running a Lentech AOD, foot brake 5800 in a '71 convertible that goes down the track at 4230#, just upper 9's. The Fox will be lighter.

The Hot Rod Drag Week class is called Street Race which requires stock type suspension, but I can minitub it and I'm using Wolfe's offset LCA and semi-stock adjustable upper mount in an '87 notch. Last and worst I suppose is that I'd like to run it on drag radials. I have the most experience which is not to say a lot, on the 325/50's and I've used Hoosiers recently as they seem more forgiving than the orginal M/T's.

Oiling is key as it has to work on the 400 mile drives and at the track. I will be using a oil cooler and remote filter.

And, I'm building my own headers as it will never be that clean underneath. Doug, that just looks perfect. 8.50 cage only.

Bill as you may know, IMO there doesn't exist a better automotive platform than the Ford Fox platform short of a specialty built chassis/platform. The aftermarket is endless, especially the front suspension and if the rear suspension locating points are moved the rear suspension is not far behind the front! You mention oil cooler and remote filters, will that extra cooling be necessary with the Lentech or is the transmission without the overdriven high gear? One may consider, assuming valve spring pressures are high, spray bars for the exhaust valve springs.

Dave.

Doug Rahn wrote:I didn't use a Fox pan but a custom Billet Fab deal, front of the pan is 5" deep with just barely 1/4" clearance to the rack, and the K member is a AJE with 1-1/2" dropped rack mounts. You can't get much lower than that or things will start dragging. One reason I ran the collectors out the side.

I've got a PA Racing 1 1/2" drop K-member along with offset rack bushings and have only about 1/8" of clearance! I wish I would have converted over to a "Pinto" rack, it moves the rack down even further out of the way. The Fox body racks have the mounts underneath them and sit higher because of this.

Doug, have you ever considered making up some of those trick tie downs you have on your steering rack? I'd be your first customer, I just don't have the fabrication skills to build my own!
Gary

LivermoreDave wrote:Bill as you may know, IMO there doesn't exist a better automotive platform than the Ford Fox platform short of a specialty built chassis/platform. The aftermarket is endless, especially the front suspension and if the rear suspension locating points are moved the rear suspension is not far behind the front! You mention oil cooler and remote filters, will that extra cooling be necessary with the Lentech or is the transmission without the overdriven high gear? One may consider, assuming valve spring pressures are high, spray bars for the exhaust valve springs.

Dave.

The Fox has become the default drag chassis even for non Ford powered racers sadly, but with that popularity comes choice and varied opinions. I've been to 5 Drag Weeks and completed 3 so I've gained a fairly good idea of what is need to make the trip. This year I'm adding valvespring sprayers as insurance as the cam is right at .900 lift and we've 400+ mile days multiple times over the years. Oil cooler and trans cooler have kept the temps in line as I pull a little trailer too. The Lentech is an OD capable trans that still has full auto function though I shift it manually at the track. It may get a trans brake VB this year too. This new car will be fun. Thank you for the advice, I need plenty. This is what I took there the previous years. Set up for the drive to the next track.

Bill, you know I'm your #1 automotive stalker, right? No matter what BBR says.   

windsor wrote:Bill, you know I'm your #1 automotive stalker, right?   No matter what BBR says.   

lmao

Well I don't like the fact your going to a me too car I do realize its the only way to be competitive in these classes. I'll still be a fan since it's staying bbf powered and even using a ford trans so that's cool. Plus it will be driven on the street. Best of luck