I'm sorry, of course I didn't have to bash the valley pan for rocker clearance but for roller lifter clearance.

I'm using the round drop base cleaner. It's a Moroso with a three inch by fourteen inch air filter element. The triangle one is an Edelbrock with a three inch washable K&N style element, non-drop base. It cleared at the nut but not at the outer edges.

There's two inches from the top of the carb lip, the part the base fits around to the top of the filter element, a bit more at the center of the carb, and three quarters inch from the top of the element to the bottom of the lid at the highest part. It's slightly less where the center bolt goes through. From the top of the highest part of the base to the top of the filter element is 1-1/2". So I guesse we are looking at 2-3/4" right above the carb and 2_1/4" around the carb. Or, it starts at three inches at the inside of the element, tapers up to 2-3/4" around the carb at the smallest clearance then widens out to 2-3/4" above the carb. There is slightly less clearance above the choke plate. I have that wired open but plan to remove it entirely.

It'll be a while before I can do a WOT comparison on the street. We're still cutting 100 foot firs off the roads from the latest windstorm. I can try one in the garage but I don't know how useful that would be without a load on it.