Took cover off. Gasket was pretty dry and crusty. Completely missing in that area. I don't see any noticeable issues with cover itself. Sits flat on my cast iron table sawc
Check the oil pump and if good no wear clean it up along with cover and assemble. Use plastic or anything softer than aluminum cleaning the machined surfaces. No chisel or razor blade damaging machined surfaces.
Be sure to center the cover, by this an equal gap around the cover hole for the crank snout. I made a sleeve for the crank that has a ID slide fit along with a slide fit OD centing the cover, the oil seal will like this also lasting a long time no leaks. Replace that crank seal in the cover. Also check the oil pressure bypass plunger along with the bore in the cover. Lightly polish the bypass plunger, break any sharp edges at the ends of plunger.
I prefer Hastings LF426 filters, they are 6.93" long, 3/4" x 16 thread (Ford also vs 13/16 x 16 GM) more filtering media area than factory along with a magnetic drain plug as well a donut magnet out of a curbside microwave oven attached to the filter.
With modified sandwich adapter there is just enough room to spin on the longer Hastings FL426 filter.
With 3 qt. Pre-Oiler, hard piped across the front (Pre-Oiler) mounted left side where the jack used to be located.
Stainless flex line to the sandwich adapter mounted where the oil filter used to mount. Total oil capacity 8qt. 12 oz.
A Tee on adapter for the low oil pressure switch (idiot light) to activate relays and timer for the Pre-Oiler plus a oil pressure sensor able to read engine oil pressure plus a second sensor mounted at the Pre-Oiler accumulator. Dash switch able to read accumulator or engine oil pressures. A 2 1/16" gauge mounted to tjhe rear of the stick shift lever on the center console easy to read plus location in my case......~~=o&o>........