318 LA Rebuild Advice

I would say 'no thanks' to Holley & let them keep their carb......& install an Edel 650 AVS2 carb.
no can do amigo, those aren't CA compliant. i think they have one or two of the performer series that are 50 state legal, though.

so realistically, considering he's got to deal with the smog officials, that's kind of his best choice short of hunting down a TQ or a Q-jet that would have the right numbers on it or at least pass the eyeball test.
Pretty much my only two choices as Junkyardhero has said. The TQ for my application had 6 or 7 vacuum ports and a bowl vent; the Holley 0-80555C fulfills that.