I'm ok with this. The EPA didn't mandate this idiocy in my alternate timeline 1975.
How? What's the fire risk?
Is it possible that the 340 is flat and the 440 isn't?
It's a solid rod, but doesn't mechanically actuate the outer carbs. It only forces them closed. Not sure why they would replace the factory linkage but since there's a bunch of new linkage sets on the market today, I guess that's common.