JUST FINISHING UP 73 VERT BODY OFF.  REPLACED INTAKE WITH EDELBROCK TORKER II AND 800 AVS THUNDER CARB.  STOCK AIR CLEANER IS TOO SNUG TO HOOD, DROP BASE DOES NOT WORK WITH CARB.  ANY IDEAS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

There are a couple of different drop bases available. Maybe you can use a less thick filter element. Also, Holley makes a air cleaner that has dual air filter elements on the sides of the carburetor...something like Princess Leah's hair in Star Wars. It's kind of pricey though. Summit Racing and Jeg's carry it.

Good luck.

I had the same problem. Torker II manifold and Holley 750 carb. The filter fit with a drop base, but I was not getting enough air into the carb as the filter lid was almost sitting right on top of the choke "tower". 

You have to check the clearance to the top of your carb.  

I had the whole choke machined off the carb. It runs great now, lots of space for air, standard 3" (give or take) filter. The only draw back is on cool mornings (+-50°) it is a little rough to start. After about 5 minutes up warm up it is fine though.

Gunslinger,

I know this is off subject, but what is that unique car with the Avanti Front end.  Kind of looks like a camaro and an Avanti married together.

After Shark...

It is an Avanti. The styling was updated during the late '90s and they're being made outside of Atlanta. Mine has a Vette LS1 engine, and was also available with a 500+ horsepower supercharged LS1, but I didn't want to part with the extra $ for what was really unnecessary. My engine has been tweaked and should be putting out somewhere close to 400 horsepower and has plenty of performance.

Avanti Motors has now committed heresy (to me)...for the first time have switched to the Ford 4.6 HO engine for 2005 production. It might be a good engine, but it just doesn't seem right after having Chevy small blocks since the mid-'60s in all Avanti production.