[blucar]

Many years ago we had a in-board ski boat that had a '53 8CM engine with an Edmonds 4 barrel manifold and a Carter 4 barrel carb., Mallory ignition and a Howard cam.
The eng/boat worked well for many years, plenty of low end torque that would pull adult skiers and kids right out of the water, Never had a problem with the carb.
I put an Offy Super manifold w/dual w/97 carbs on my '36 in early '54. The 59AB engine is well built, over bored, cam, modified heads and a Harmon Collins ignition.
I drove the '36 as a daily work pleasure vehicle until 1959 throughout the eleven western states. The mountains of Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and the deserts of Nevada, California, a total of over 94K miles. The dual carbs were a pain in the butt, very sensitive to altitude, heat and cold. I had to carry a box of jets and a jet wrench to re-jet the carbs if I stayed in an area for awhile during the course of my work.
Of course my experience with multiple carbs vs a 4 barrel is based on real world everyday driving, not just Saturday/Sunday car cruses.