Just to reiterate were basically all on the same page here...
There is little or no doubt throttle response and torque at the lower mid range and reasonably high rpm range are improved with Webers and so it would seem with the inline autolite carb setup. All though the later could be debated. Take fuel slosh, for instance. Center pivot float is better than side pivot, Weber is better yet, degrees of improvement, just short of perfection (enter fuel injection). Hard to beat Webers for a road racing application or even street use (with the possible down side being poor mpg with Webers). All this ASSUMES of course the
Webers in question are PERFECTLY tuned, not something to be taken lightly!
Which is perhaps another reason Shelby wanted to stay with a single carb, it could be tuned to near perfection easier, more simply? Given enough TIME and TESTING the Webers may well have done a better job.
The sticky point for me here is, "absolute power". Take drag racing, Webers or Carb? You rarely see Webers in that arena, I wonder why? Serious question actually, not drawing any conclusions here one way or the other. NASCAR,,, I wonder, without limitations like restrictor plates, Webers or Carb?
Then of course the next logical step would be, Webers or dual carbs for an "absolute power" application, like the Bonneville Salt flats.
Tom, isn't Kirkham considering a Salt Flat run(s) in the future? Whats your game plan for induction?