It’s no secret that a performance engine requires a performance oiling system. Milodon had the foresight to create oil pans for 5.7 liter and 6.2 Hellcat Generation-III Hemi engines, anticipating the popularity of the engine. They were right. So much so, that Chrysler tapped the performance parts maker to solve an oiling problem on the rare Dragpak Challenger.

Steve Morrison, President of Milodon, remembers, “Back 15 years ago we saw the popularity of the Gen-III Hemi coming. We invested in stamped-steel tooling to produce our own pan rail that would fit as well as a factory cast pan, yet add a ton of performance benefits.”

Across two decades, there have been a number of muscle-car-era chassis converted to modern powerplants with modern componentry. Who wouldn’t want a bad-ass and reliable car? With the rise of the restomods, many Gen-IIIs are finding their way into the classics too. Milodon was ready with several applications.

For nearly 70 years since its founding in 1957, Milodon has been an aftermarket leader with premium quality racing components. Milodon started with Milo Franklin and Don Alderson, hence the name of MILO-DON. Don was an aerospace engineer, and drag and salt-flat racer.

The Milodon windage tray compared to the factory-installed baffle

With applications for both street and track, Milodon makes oil pans, oil pick-ups, and pan rails. All the parts needed to replace the OE pan are available on their website and through numerous dealers.

Morrison remembers, “I started working for them in 1975. It wasn’t unusual to have Shirley Muldowney, Don Garlits, John Force, or a number of big-name drag racers stopping by the factory.” In 1992, Morrison bought the company and expanded its offerings by hedging on development.

Morrison’s oil pans were used on the last 12 Dragpaks. The prior vendor’s pan was reputedly having problems. “There were 25 second build Drag Pak cars. The issue the first group had was upper RPM oil control. Our windage tray design corrected that. This is the same design that we developed with Chrysler for the factory Dragpak cars. It was in all the factory Super Stock cars at that time. We sell it for use in all our 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter, and Hellcat applications and will provide a good amount of benefit in all applications.”

The aftermarket is a highly competitive industry. Many clamor for the latest and greatest that the factories produce. Others come late to the party.

“Other manufacturers just have realized [the Gen-III Hemi] exists. Others just copied our most frequently used design — the one we initially started with. Now between tubular K-Members with rack and pinion steering, there is a huge amount of choices from that, back to a stock K-Member and stock steering option. The new Hemi now comes in a 5.7-Iiter or 6.4-liter option. Then there’s the Hellcat 6.2-liter. That one requires a different pan rail, but we make both.”

Morrison warns of ill-fitting copies. “Simply put, if the bolt hole on the pickup flange is not aligning then you have the wrong oil pickup setup. Don’t try to re-drill and bend the pickup as there are other differences too but that bolt-hole alignment is the main identifier. You should just call the true Mopar guys in the first place and don’t just go with the cheapest you can find. It’s a good life lesson.”