Engine: 1955 185 CID Oil pans.

[dropdad]

Does anybody make or did Studebaker ever make a mid-sump oil pan for a 185 cid 6 cylinder engine. I have a 55 Champion 185 engine I’m considering putting into my 1950 Champion Starlight Coupe, but my 50 has a mid sump oil pan to clear the crossmember in front and the steering linkage that runs in front of the flywheel area. I’m trying to avoid having to make such drastic modifications to fabricate one.

[RadioRoy]

Yes. Studebaker did make a special oil pan for putting a 185 into a 50 Champion. Someone else may chime in with the part number. It might not be cheap if you find one.

The other option is to take the 50 oil pan and the oil pan from the 185 and make one out of the two.

Have you got the dipstick modifications planned out?

[Dwain G.]

When the 185 went into production, the old 170 was dropped. So Stude had to make some special parts for service replacement engines.
Like Roy said, these special parts might be a bit rare. Start with SI and see what's available. Click on page to enlarge.

[juantomas]

I have the same conversion. Years back I bought the correct oil pan from Barry Hackney at Studebaker Ranch in Texas

[dropdad]

Thanks for the reply. Barry hasn’t seen one of those in years. I’m in the process of having a new sump added to mine, forward of its original position , ny a local race engine builder that specializes in oil pans.

[juantomas]

I have a 185 ci new oilpan for installation in 1951 and later, but it is not the camelback for retrofitting the 1950 Champion. $100 + shipping.

[dropdad]

Thanks for the responses. I ended up having a company that specializes in fabricating oil pans for race cars modify mine. It wasn’t cheap but they did a great job

[RadioRoy]

Looks like they did a nice job.