That's a great idea, Mr. Jean. I've seen carb configurations where they use intakes that look like miniature injector stacks, with the intakes closest to the deck lid being partially indented to provide clearance. That's on racing engines where they have dual carbs on both sides. Single carbs on both sides, yes, it's the filter stacks that probably cause the space problem...The "collector filter" concept could be applied in the stock position to fit inside a bug lid, you're right. I haven't seen that yet!
The BIG race engines (Pauter Machine engines, Ruff & Tuff, etc.) with big displacements
http://www.pauter.com/super_pro.htm
use varying styles to accommodate these deals. Sometimes they do away with the deck lid altogether and leave the engine exposed, sometimes they fab a cover, it goes in a lot of directions.
http://www.media.dragracingtv.com/2009/ ... g-pictures
I like the engine to be covered with a stock-appearing deck lid without an offset position, but that red bug with the iron cross on the door has a pretty cool engine cover to my eyes. Thanks, WC1