That’s a Yes for potentially testing some of the different air cleaners. In a best case scenario, all air cleaners would need to be tested on a single manifold simply to reduce testing variables. But if the air cleaners are for different carburetor center to center spacings, then examining the percent change in power outputs when comparing air cleaner versus no air cleaner would help to evaluate air cleaner performance from one intake to another. I’m sure the type of carburetor is also a player in the air cleaner design as the Teapots have been quite sensitive to air cleaners that are too small or restrictive around the choke area. I suspect that was just one of the engineering considerations as to why the ’57 dual quad air cleaners were the large round units versus the oval shaped air cleaners that were used in 1956.
I did dyno test a customer’s dual quad equipped Y that repeatedly made more power using a home-made air cleaner versus running without an air cleaner. While this particular dual quad set up was using Edelbrock carbs, it was determined that the power improvement was not as much related to the air/fuel mixtures but were instead to the redirection of air flow into the carbs.
Here are carb center to center spacings on some of the intakes currently on hand.
Edelbrock FM255 – 8 ¾”
Edelbrock 257 – 7 1/8”
Edmunds DM-427 – 8 9/16”
1956 Ford EDB-9425-C – 7 5/16”
1957 Ford ECG-9424-D – 7 5/16”
Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)