Thank you all for the information. I have replaced the flat tray with a correct curved one. My pan is an original '69 Z28 pan with the side rails and deflector at the sump.
However, after all the effort to replace the pan gasket, while replacing the flat windage tray with the correct tray, spot welding the pick up to the pump, and generally look at every possible source in an effort to solve a chronic oil leak, I've failed.
I scrupulously inspected the area of the crank in front of the crank flange when I had the pan off. Not a scintilla of oil build up or staining on it. Based on that I decided not to replace the rear main oil seal, but rather just the pan gasket as the old one fell apart as I dropped the pan.
The pan to block rails were bent at the rear of the pan. I straightened them and made sure that the two rails were parallel to one another front to rear.
I inspected the rear of the block closely when I had the flywheel off to have it and the pressure plate balanced. There was no evidence of any leakage from the cam plug nor oil galley plugs. There is no evidence of leakage other than some slight seepage from the valve cover gaskets, intake manifold seal, distributor seal or oil pressure fitting.
However, after my test drive of the freshly buttoned up engine, I parked it in the garage only to discover that there is still a leak and it is running from the rear to the front, from the junction of the trans and bellhousing. No leak at the pan, front, rear or sides.
The leak is engine oil, it is not gear lube. The transmission (an M22 with the correct casting #s and stampings) was built by Riverside Gear and initially leaked at the countershaft opening when I first bolted it in. They made good on the fix and I have also sealed that countershaft opening with a layer of hi-temp RTV silicon.
I'm frustrated, angry, disappointed, and depressed that I haven't solved this leak....
With all the collective experience out there perhaps someone can tell me what I'm missing. I probably should have done the rear main but there was absolutely no trace of oil or oil staining in that area of the crank forward of the flange.
I am contemplating dropping just the rear of the pan to be certain I got the little teats on the gasket in the relieved sections of the block at the rear. I applied a minimal amount of RTV to those areas, and did the same at the front at the timing cover/block/pan interface. I tried to be certain I seated the pan gasket properly.
For the life of me I cannot think of any other possibility for the leak but there is NO oil dripping down the back side of the sump nor the dust cover, just at the trans/bellhousing junction.
If I have to, I'll pull the engine, take it apart and reassemble it to assure myself that I've done everything possible to solve an oil leak, but I'd like to avoid such a drastic step on a car which is so close to being "finished".
paul
