I was able to get the pan off by just cutting off the e-brake bracket, did not have to cut off the cross brace, sounds like you didn't either, so that's one thing believed by many turned into a myth. As you noted, I pounded the bottom of the pan flat, the back of the pan has a slit in the windage tray, one side a little higher than the other, so I guess I'll flatten that some too.
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