[DeTomaso] Air cleaner height above carb?

[Corey Price]

So I've read that, for peak performance, an air cleaner lid needs to be about 3" or more above the carb mount.  True or false?

I was considering using a stock air cleaner with my single-plane manifold w/ EFI injectors installed.  The throttle body would be an Accufab 4150 unit.  The top of throttle body to block chinawall measures 9", the carb sits flat (no angled pad) and there isn't a choke riser.  With Jack's trick of sectioning the motor mounts and bending the ZF mounts into an "S", I could buy an extra inch under the decklid and engine screen.  So, I might get away with modifying a stock snorkel air cleaner for greater flow if I could justify the smaller distance to the throttle body.  Currently, my air cleaner measures 2" above the carb air cleaner mount shelf.  

All of this would be in an effort to reduce the protrusion out of the engine screen and to give a less-flashy engine (even though it will make plenty of power).

Thoughts?