Thanks everyone for the replies and information on this. I asked this question on this forum because the information and accuracy about originality seems to be unbeatable. That said, I am trying to keep the car "close" to original when feasible and possible, but with the possible exception of when it is at the expense of making the car a reliable and fun cruiser. Finding, rebuilding and adding an old potentially leaky carb, for example, might be where I'd stray a bit - mainly because the car is already "compromised" from the level of originality many on this forum are likely seeking, due to the fact that it has a 4 speed toploader as opposed to a 3 speed.
I guess another way to put it is that I'm okay with "tasteful" mods that don't digress too much from the original character of the car or that were considered common upgrades at the time - at the expense sometimes of originality. For example, I've put the original model AM radio back in the car but I plan to have the internals modernized. I've also put Flowmaster mufflers on the car.
Keep in mind, though, that I'm using my own taste gauge here, and this is in my own humble opinion. To me, its a matter of pros and cons, because I don't expect to win any shows, but I do like keeping the car mostly original but also having it as a reliable and fun weekend cruiser.
Getting back to the original question, I had heard similar stories about the problems with some of these original carburetors, so I'm considering something like a new Holley since they are not terribly expensive and I can probably install it myself without too much difficulty. It's not a big sacrifice to replace the one I have that was already a replacement anyway.
And let me reiterate that it is super helpful to find out the original details from folks on this site, because it allows more informed decisions, regardless of which way I go.
