Larry,
I'm in the same camp as you: "Keep the engine below the engine screen and out of the rear view mirror!"
I haven't seen a 400 in a Pantera yet. My educated guess is that if the oem 351C intake were used, without any spacer between the carb and manifold, then the carb would sit approximately the same height as the carb on the '73 - '74 351C, which had an egr plate between the carb & manifold. If so, the engine screen from the Pantera L should be able to clear an air filter assembly, so long as the filter assembly weren't too tall. It would be a tight fit. The screen on my L rubbed the chrome lid of the oem air filter assembly on my 100% stock motor.
Hope all is well in Fresno, enjoy the weekend!
Your friend on the PIBB, George
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