Why raise the pickup? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the oil pump and pan are both moved lower the same amount, so the pickup is in the same relative position to the bottom of the pan. Yes if you fill the dipstick to its normal position, you'll have more oil volume in the pan and the pickup will be siphoning from deeper in the oil, but why would that be bad?
Also, Why are those mainstuds so long? there must be some shorter ones that will allow the pan to be installed with minimal modifications.
These are some good question for Matt Whitbread J... here is my theory...
1- Why raise the pickup? because the oil pump is installed on aluminum spacers about 5/8" thick... you can see those in the pic. without bending it up, it would up hit the bottom of the pan.. bending it up makes it so it will fit a standard oil pan...
I suspect the spacers make up the perfect distance to fit the OE chain, OE tensioner & provided smaller sprocket and provide the chain the correct tension... soooo "
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the oil pump and pan are both moved lower the same amount"... no, the oil pump is moved lower by about 5/8" (thickness of the spacer) therefore the oil pick up needs to be bent up by the same amount... I suspect I will have to also add the thickness of the plate distance to my oil dip stick fill line..
You can see the spacers well in this pic
2- Also, Why are those mainstuds so long? I suspect that the these are the closest that ARP makes them... most likely the next size down it just too short... Maybe they make these in 1/2" interval..