Dad, I like your style filter-lots of room for filter area.the reason we might prefer clear is to be able to observe the sediment.
The reason after the pump is preferred is because the fuel is more positively pushed through the filter than drawn through it by the suction side of the pump.As long as the pump is good, lines are air tight and filter is not very restricted-no big difference.
On another thought.What if the carb is not flooding but being overheated to the point of boiling the fuel?
Flooding should be able to clear by cranking with the throttle open and after restarting will run with black smoke like when choke is on.Looking down the carb throat gas will be pouring into the throat and may be overflowing externally the carburetor.
I see lots of room under the carb for stacked gaskets as an insulator for heat being transmitted from the manifold.
Is the heat valve free to move as designed or not stuck closed? This will raise the operating temperature of the manifold/carburetor.
The idle mixture setting should only affect the smoothness of idle and not the mixture in any other range of the carburetor although it does slightly affect the mixture during the slight transition to the off idle situation.
Slightly higher idle speed could help drivability through this battle toward "normal" operation.
