Hello, I reply to your post because I am also interested in a multi carb setup on a straight 288 engine.Should you know more about edmunds manifolds , please let me know. As relates to your cold start problem, I suffer from flooding the engine in the cold state. My choke valve operates nicely, but I think it closes too much . After four times starting, i.e. turning the ngine with ignition on, I smell petrol coming out of the exhaust pipe. I then open the choke valve against its spring and remove the air filter pipe. Then the engine starts at once. I tell you this because you too may have a similar problem. The crude way to find out what is what is to pour petrol directly in the carburator and start.Keep in mind the check on petrol fumes , though. Gerben Wassenaar, packard standard 288 1948, netherlands, europe.