I need about 1/4" more space between my air cleaner and the underside of the hood. If I add a 1/4" spacer between the frame and K member will it mess up the steering geometry? Is there anything I'm not considering that would make this a dumb move? Will it put too much stress on the transmission mount or the torsion bars? I know it will need to be aligned. Maybe need to adjust fan shroud? Does the steering sector have enough play?

Please be gentle...
Thanks in advance all:)

If all you need is 1/4", then you should be able to do it with no ill effects. Try it. Put the 1/4" spacers in with no other changes and see how you like it. If there are issues that you don't care for, just remove them.

You can put spacers above the K with just a floor jack and jack stands in less than an hour. Just don't let the K go down any more than necessary to get the spacers in. Do one side a time.

Good point Dave...I could just give it a try and take them out if something goes awry.

Uhhhhh....
This sorta sounds like buying a hat that doesnt fit then going to get your head shrunk.
I'm all for cutting, fabricating and modifying things, but this is what locates the engine, steering and over half of the load of the transmission. I'd half to defer to the adage: What would the factory do: Ma Mopar would have tooled up for a different air cleaner base.
I did this very thing, and it worked out nicely. My Charger has a 493 with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake. I liked the MP cast aluminum air cleaner, so I ordered one from Summit. It sat 3/4" to tall to clear my hood. I took my MP unit to a guy that is good with a TIG welder, along with a dropped base from another air cleaner assembly, and had him meld the two. It cost me $85, but it fits, looks right and all is right with the world.

Didn't the 68 hemi a-bodies do this?

This has been a problem for guys running shakers on E-bodys also. Remember; if you lower the engine, you "may" also have to lower the transmmission mount, you "May" have to lower the radiator so the fan doesn't hit the shrowd?...So I wouldn't use a spacer either, I would cut your air cleaner base. But that is my opinion...

dont forget its also going to change your pinion angle

The Hemi darts had em. However, I'd wonder if that 1/4 inch of static clearance is going to be enough when you bang that first shift.
I agree that it seems like the wrong end to shave some clearance in.
In order, redesign the filter, trim the top of the intake, add the spacers, then fab new motor mounts for additional clearance.

Cut the intake top.

Depending on air cleaner style, get a shorter filter as in the case of the unsilenced air cleaner.

Any implications for the torsion bars by spacing the k-member down?

we put spacers on 71 hemi clone because of comversion motor mounts for shaker scoop to fit properly.....front end went together with no problems..when i aligned it came right into specs ...

I took in as many options as I could when I was swapping from a 4 bbl to a Dual Quad. I needed a 1/4" as well for clearance. I went ahead and got an aftermarket replica of a Dual Quad base from Steve (Paint It Black) and modified it to fit under my hood...69 Charger..no scoop and I have the sound deadener on the underside as well. I milled down two aluminum sleeves and set them under the drop base on top of both carbs, bought a K&N Oval Air Filter because it was slightly shorter than the FRAM type. It fits.

I dunno about messing with geometry, angles, and loads just for 1/4" I think you would run into some issue with your torsion bars, they are already under a great deal of shear tension. Then your steering linkage might bind somewhere.

Wow, thanks everyone. This has been a good learning experience with all of your input. I have modified the air cleaner as much as possible...there is no more room to cheat under the hood without milling parts. The 440 is setting as low as it can in the K member with Schumacher mounts. I have the Eddy dual quad CH-28 and everything fit fine until I added the NOS plates. I am using it the way it is right now but I can see rub marks on the bottom of the scoopless fiberglass hood. I am taking everyone's input seriously, so thanks again.
Russ:)

Hows that CH28 working for ya?

Love the CH-28, how about you? It has been great in every way. Folks at the car shows love it. It would be quicker with a single four but the wow factor is so much more fun.

Russ:)

Pyper70 your setup looks awesome. Mine is not so fancy...kinda low keyed. Try to keep it ordinary looking...

One more...

Hi cnxt. I sure tried hard to find a slimmer air cleaner. This is the shortest Mopar piece and shortest filter I could find. Believe me I physically went through a ton of filters. I cut the bottom out of this one and lowered it to the top of the carbs with just enough room for the accelerator pumps to function properly. The throttle linkage just barely clears the base. I have been racking my brain for some way to get another 1/4". The car looks completely stock on the outside and it kills me to cut anything.