I agree with the idea that "its lasted this long so why fix something that isn't broken."
However, what I do to my truck today exceeds what it was originally designed for. My 51 was not designed to drive down the interstate at 65-70 mph all day long, which I do.
Given that idea, when I install my PCV system on by dual carb setup, I plan to use the original style air filter. Should I convert to paper filters?