I don't go to the track often enough to get good. In fact, I just do TnT occassionally because I'd get eaten alive in competition.
On street radials, is there any sense in doing even a dry burnout at the line?
Second, I had a surge midway through the 1/4, that I supposed was lean. But I then removed the air cleaner, and the car ran better, with no surge. Does this mean I was actually too rich with the air cleaner?
The good news, I did squeeze off a 13.59 at 98.72mph (about 500' above sea level IIRC) in my low budget 9:1 compression 360 A body. But I think it has more left.
I'm running an old 440 HP version of the AVS. Do I need fatter metering rods to lean it out some?
The other way is to change both the primary and secondary jets down one size, AVS usually had high step jets in the front for the three step metering rods, some C body AFB had them also 
The choice is yours, BTW, are you running a AVS or AFB intake or a Thermoquad intake with a adapter? If with a adapter make sure your not impeding the flow from the carb. into the intake manifold on the primary side 
Ain't drag racing fun 
Most of the time
