Look in the Mechanical Procedure manual You need some replace some bolts with some extra long ones on the frame. It's really pretty easy. once you understand the principle.

Hello Ed, thank you for your response. I do have a shop manual but last week I could not find it in shop. car, pick up. at office or at home. After I read you email this morning I went out to shop and searched again and found the manual: I had not put it back in bookcase but in a drawer of a filing cabinet. So I read the part you put me onto and I think I have it. Wow, so I actually disconnect the front shock absorbers and then with the suspension hanging loose I undo the cross member holding the steering pin, but only one of four bolts at a time, replacing tempoarily each bolt with another bolt about 4 inches longer then necsicsary so the cross member can hang down low enough for the pan to clear? I will reread the book several times and take pictures before I start. Whew. The car has not run since 1991 and the oil I drained is as black as ink and the car does NOT have an oil filter so I know I have no choice but to do this but the 8 cylinder seems more difficult to wok on then the six. Thanks again for the encouragment.

The hardest part was finding the correct bolts

Gary, even though the book suggest dropping front end down,I have found you can get the oil pan down without dropping as written. Obviously it really helps if you have a lift, but I've done this job numerous times without one. On the floor, jack the vehicle up and secure jacks stands safely. You will need to drain the engine oil and coolant from the radiator, and remove the upper and lower radiator hoses. Remove the 4 bolts that secure both engine mounts to the frame, 2 on each side, remove the tin shield from under the radiator,if not already removed. This will allow access to the lower crank dampner. remove the flywheel inspection cover, remove the 3 bolts that secure the center steering pod,pull the steering arm back. This basically requires you to get sort of brutal with the linkage, but it will move as you start pulling. Position the steering links to best allow access to the oil pan. Now, with most everything cleared out of the way, jack the engine up. I have found using a floor jack and short 4x4 stub cut-off between the jack pad and the crankshaft dampner. As you will see, there is some interference with the stabilizer bar, so if you need to, remove the 4 mounting bolts from the s/bar to frame. This will allow a better direct straight up lifting of the engine. I also have a set of blocks that I use to stick between the engine mounts to frame. This will allow you to lift the engine, then set the engine down on the blocks and create the engine to be somewhat stabile, and also allow you to turn the engine once it is lifted up. Remove all the bolts in the oil pan, and remembering the splasher engines have an upper dipper tray, that still has oil in it that can not be drained before removing pan. Once the oil pan and splasher tray has been broken loose from the engine, simply turn the engine to position the crankshaft to allow the pan to slide out easiest. There are several things to inspect once the pan is dropped. I can recommend re-installation instructions if you like?. I hope this helps.
This procedure might sound like a lot of work but it really is straight forward.

Fred, THANK YOU for the response you gave as an alternative to dropping the cross member as shown in the Manual. I am honestly not sure which way we will go this weekend but despite being more steps I like the way your way leaves the frame solid. So if I understand the entire weight of the engine is lifted at the very front of the engine by the jack with wood block pushing up under the vibration dampener? will I need to remove the bolts securing the rear motor mount as well? And how high up do you suggest raising the motor? Thanks for your advice. Gary

A couple of 2x4 blocks seem to work well. I cut them to basically fit under both engine mounts. Again, remember there is still oil in the top splash tray. Both pan must be removed at the same time. Pay close attention to the drain hole in in the back of the block. This is the hole that allows oil to return into the oil pan from the rear main. These engines only have a slinger trough and NOT a positive rear main seal. Make sure you inspect each dipper trough very closely once removed and cleaned. Verify there are no holes corroded thru in any of there. If you hold a strong light under the cleaned tray as you inspect each one. If you find a small pinhole, simply solder it back shut. You should also clean the oil pan very good and do the same with it, check to make sure there are no holes that have been created after cleaning thoroughly. It's not uncommon to find an inch or more of sludge in them, depends on when cleaned last. Clean all old gasket material from the block, which sometimes can be difficult. With all the old gasket material removed from both upper and lower tray, I take a body hammer and dolly and straighten the oil pan flange before re-installing.
I use Permatex brush-on High tack when re-installing the gaskets. That seems to hold them in place and doesn't allow them to move. Make sure the gaskets line up good, especially around the back area of the oil pan. It helps to take several punches and stick them in the pan bolt holes to assist lining both pans up together. It is essential you get the oil drain hole lined up on both pans/tray. If you have straightened the oil pan flange properly, cleaned all the mating surfaces well, you should not need to silicone anything when re-installing. I also only high tack the pan gasket to the oil pan, nothing in between the splash tray, and then only high tack the gasket to the splash tray and NOT the top of the splash tray to block. Once you have both pans together, with gaskets installed, install the required O-ring for the oil tube pick-up.
To ease re-installing the oil pan, I usually don't install the oil in the upper splash tray before installing. I remove the front valve cover, slide it back slightly, take a long, narrow funnel and add all the oil , at least 7 qts. This will ensure the upper tray has plenty of oil.

A few side notes- I always try to clean the frame area under the oil pan after I have removed the steering linkage. It is usually full of grease, dirty, old parts, nuts, bolts, screws dropped and/or lost, and requires something like a heavy scrapper. Spending 10-15 minutes doing this makes it so there isn't as much on your arms and dropping in your face!
If you have an engine hoist, you can secure a chain to the engine to lift the frt. of it which gives you better control going up. Once you have got the engine raised, lower it down on the blocks. You want to be able to turn the crankshaft once it is lifted, so the frt. pulley has to be free.
You might slightly loosen the 2 trans.mount bolts-if stick, but not take them out completely, and if equipped with an auto, just loosen both bolts on each one as well.

This might sound like a bunch of work, sort of is, but it doesn't really take that long. This is/was a required, regular maintenance item. I hope this helps, Hudsonly Doug

Thank you again Doug, I did not get to work on the car at all since the 12th but I will report back how this goes next time. You were not kidding about the dirt and gunk build up under the engine. Gary

Thank you Doug for your solution to my needing to remove the oil pan in my 1950 Commodore without loosening the front cross member as outlined in the maintanence manual. This weekend i finally had some time to try this and i am happy to report it was success. Whether I am able to get the pan back under and mated to block with the new gaskets remaining in place will be the next challenge. But your instructions were good. I did not need to loosen the back engine support: the front motor mounts came off as planned and I was able to then support the engine withe a 2x4 block on eash side plus a piece of 3/4 plywood added to the 2x4: On examination and comparison to the two new reproduction engine mounts I had ordered last year, the old mounts while intact had deformed and were 3/4 of an inch + shorter then the new mounts. I did not have a clear picture in my mind of what you meant when you described the tray pan that rides inside the oil pan, but once I had dragged the pan out from under the car it was easy to see the upper pan with the scupper troughs for the oil dippers was fit inside the overall pan. Very close tolerance fit by the way, but it lifted right out and sure enough, in the lowest level was about an inch of nasty old oil and sediment the consistancy of applesauce collected at the lowest, back portion of the sump and at the very front of the pan, again at the lowest point. It came right out with a putty knife and rags. Should I have the local machine shop hot tank it or just do a careful job cleaning it by hand? There is a rubber grommet like piece in the passenger side of the tray that is still in good shape Id like to retain as it is pliable but firm. Hmm, I may have just answered my own question. I also appreciate very much your advice on what to use to keep the gaskets in place while installing and now understand what the manual had to two say about there being a gasket both above and on top of the tray. In my car the inside of the block and what I can see of the crank, rods and piston insides looks good. My car has no oil filter. Have you any suggestion as to what to look for in way of putting an after market one on? Ive read some comments about AC vs Fram but suppose Ill be somewhat at the mercy of what can be found on the market. Thank you again to all who have responded to my questions . I will keep you appraised of my progress and outcomes. Oh PS. I want to commend the man who owned the car before me. His name was Hearns and had owned the car since at least 1991. The more I uncover the more I can see he cared for the car to the best of his ability and I commend him for that. I hope some day the same will be said of me by the next person to own it.

Hi Doug, I finally got back to shop to work on the Commodore. The method you used to describe removing the pan on April 12 work just as described. I got the pan and the upper tray out, cleaned it as best I could and decided to go next step and took them both to the Auto machine shop in Milton Freewater and had them hot tank them. Found no problems in upper tray but after getting them back from the machine shop when I held pan up to sump there WAS a pinhole along the drivers side edge of the lowest part of sump where it curves up into the sump wall. And near the drain plug hole the were two spots with out holes but badly pitted and well on way to holing. All three spots could easily be covered by my thumb print. Here I may have made a mistake. Instead of soldering I filled over all three spots with a JB Weld product called Steel Stick, one that you kneed and then press onto the effected area. Have you experience with this stuff? It was put on then and really press into the pits but was so easy I'm nervous about it, it said safe for fuel tanks , I know hot oil is more acidic then gas. Ive not reinstalled the pan yet but have primed and painted the outside of pan and am ready now when I get time. I have the gaskets unopened but do not recall the O ring you mentioned. Does this go on the top of the oil line brazed to the side of the pan and passing up thru the upper tray and into the block- or at the very back of the pan the drain hole you warned not to block with a gasket when reinstalling? Im thinking it is the oil pick up tube on the side of the pan but does O ring go onto tube between the top of the splash tray and block or between pan and splash tray? Sorry for so many questions, thank you again for your time and good advice.

Well, I don't see any reason the JB weld product won't work. Like any product, it usually has to be very clean and free of any grease,oil or other contaminates. If you had it clean as described, I wouldn't be afraid to use it . I don't know if you have purchased it yet , but again I have found the Permatex high tack brushable adhesive works the very best when doing this job. Also, using the punches to line up both pans together is a great help. a quick review in steps after the oil pan, splash tray and oil pan rail on the block are clean, and ready to re-install.

1 - using the high tack, apply on the oil pan,instal the pan gasket. Sometimes you have to install the pan gasket and apply the high tack as you go, so it doesn't dry before you get it into place. VERIFY the center hole on the back edge of the pan is lined up, with no obstruction.

2 - with the first pan gasket installed, set the splash tray into place next, again, no sealer or adhesive on the top of the gasket. Using your punches to keep the two pans somewhat mated together, apply adhesive, install the upper gasket onto the splash tray. Again, MAKE sure the center hole lines up with the lower pan on the rear edge. It is not uncommon for there to be a little mis-alignment of the gaskets, just pay close attention to the rear main drain hole is lined up and clear.

3 - Install the o-ring on the oil pick up tube. Position crankshaft so it allows the maximum clearance for re-installing the pan. The 4 bolts in the front of the oil pan all have to be sealed. I use teflon tape on them, and add a new flat washer with them. If you don't seal these, it will allow oil to drool continuously.

NOTE: When you have the oil pick-up sump removed from the oil pan, make sure you clean it thoroughly. I have found it best to remove the cover from the sump to gain access. Using a pick, pull one of the longer tabs over the edge, but be careful to not puncture, pry of dent the pick up. This will usually prove to have a clump of sludge in the back, under the cover,undetectable without removing. These sumps also use a 1/8th.cotter pin to retain them. MAKE SURE you use the correct size of cotter pin in this, as any size less WILL let the sump come out of the fixed mating tube!! This same 1/8th. cotter pin is used on all big 6 Hudson engines as well.

Hi Doug, time fly's but want to let you know I did get the oil pan and the splasher tray back onto the Commodore Fathers day the 16th. The Permatex High Tack with the brush I used just as you suggested, worked very well to help hold the gasket from slipping out of place when we slid and jostled the pan back into place. The gaskets I got were nice to work with but I did make a mistake: I should have left my phone in the truck but I took a call that came in while I was brushing on the HT. This is my excuse for not noticing I had the back most section across the back of pan portion of the gasket upside down when I put the High Tack on. So I reversed it and ended up with that section of gasket with High Tack on both sides. I do not look forward to removing the pan again. But the o ring and making sure the gasket did not block the oil tube pick up line in the very rear went fine. Was able with patience and help from a friend to get all the oil pan bolts in and tightened in progressive sequence and to fit the steering components back in the right position. Finding a correct thread jam nut for the center steering arm is challenging. But the dread surprise I expected came from an unexpected corner. I've not been able to position the engine onto the new front motor mounts: the engine block is centered correct but is about 1/2 an inch to far back against the firewall and it will not move forward even with ratchet straps pulling on forward on the block.. I reread your advice and only thing I can figure is to try and loosen the bolts that are tightly holding the rear transmission mount with out totally removing them , hopefully that will loosen the engine enough to pull it forward to nestle down onto the bolt of the motor mounts where it is resting on top the motor mount bolt, almost on the edge of the hole but will not budge further . Am I right in thinking these two bolts I need to loosen are the two that are recessed into the flat bottom of the cross member that goes under the transmission just aft of the flywheel? Once I have the engine in place and the engine mounts torqued to the 40 pound of pressure as called for in the manual, I will add the 7 quarts of 30 weight .oil into the side valve cover opening as you suggested so as to fill the splasher tray. Thanks again , I still am aiming to have the car run to get it to the Walla Walla Historical Automobile Clubs 60th birthday tour this July 14. Wish me luck, Gary Petersen