"From my reading, it would appear as the original "440 Performer" was just an aluminum version of an iron intake and might be a better choice for maximum torque as well as lighter weight/cooler under the carb, though I've never had one.

What are everybody's thoughts on that? What should a guy pay for one if one pops up for sale? Is there another like it?"

My opinion is to run a factory iron intake for towing. The lighter weight of the aluminum unit is null and void on a big truck. Heat dissipation improvement will be unnoticeable. But if one likes to tinker then by all means install one. Not everyone is on a shoe string budget and it is a hobby of tinkering. But I would focus my effort on a nice quiet true dual exhaust system. Not necessarily headers- but quality dual pipes of proper diameter and pleasant sounding mufflers.