Clogged air filter ?
As Daniel mentioned the two brass tubes at the back beside those barrels you put your fingers into have o-rings at the top cover and the main body. If they have hardened or crack they will leak fuel. Also check the tubes for cracks, they bend real easy.


1936 Ford 3W Coupe : 56 T-Bird 312, 47 Packard 3 speed, 40 juice brakes.
1968 Merc Cyclone FB GT 390, Getting a better front clip!
1977 Ford F-250 Supercab RWD Explorer Long box.
1976 Chev Camaro RS LT
Future rebuild : 1949 Ford F-1

The Daytona Parts carburetor kits for the Ford Teapot carbs are advertised as being ‘Ethanol Resistant’.  I have had good results with these while using10% ethanol laced gasoline.  The part number for the ’55-56 Ford/Mercury Holley model 4000 carb is #603 while the part number for the ‘53-54 Lincoln/Mercury Holley model 2140 carb (also a teapot abeit just an earlier model) is #636.
  

  

  

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

fixed.if i would have taken the carb all apart i would have seen the problem the first time.when you take the bottom of theres a tube that fits down into a hole in the bottom called a fuel inlet adapter thats at the back.it has an o ring and thet was dried up.i havent worked on one for 50 years so tried to get away with as little as possible.

darrell, you can't remember an "important" detail from 50 years ago? I can't remember what I had for dinner last night.