They are there for a reason. I am pretty shure you need them. But then again I have never tried to take them out. Why would you even want to? Weight reduction lol!

I have work on alot of cars in my day and pulled alot of tranny's and I can never recall those pins never being there no matter what make or model the car is. I can tell your right now I have a 351 block on the engine stand, and I have 4 4.6L mustang blocks sitting here at my shop and they all have dowel pins on them. And I know for a fact 302's do also.