hey, i just picked up a melling oil pump for my 454, do i have to get a melling pickup or do i just use the stock pickup? thanks.

Pick up is fit for the pan, not the pump. Needs to be 3/8" from bottom of pan.
You may be able to use stock one if using stock pan but they are hard to remove and a new pick up isnt that expensive.

IMO.. Always get a new pickup with a new pump.. (i.e. a melling pickup for a melling pump.) Since the pickup is an interference fit, and since it *is* the oil pump pickup, I'd rather have the insurance of a new pickup that has not been pressed in and shaped to an old oil pump.