Jon,
The AC glass bowl filter is indeed a filter (and a sediment bowl, and a water trap).
Placing any filter on the tank side of the fuel pump has the slight risk that a weak/marginal fuel pump might result in fuel starvation. Fuel pumps are slightly stronger on the "push" side than on the "suck" side. This is a fact but might not be important if you have a strong fuel pump. My last two NEW fuel pumps were not strong and gave me problems with a glass-bowl filter on the tank side of the pump.
Here are installation instructions that show how to cut and reconnect with a threaded sleeve and a sleeve tube adapter.
