Pob,
You are missing the whole picture, he is going from a efi engine to a carb engine, as to why you don't think it a backward step ask how many people agree with you, name just ONE carb fed engine in a car still produced today, and I'll easily name you 100 that are FI.
There is a typical max bhp at all costs, this does NOT make a great engine, power spread and torque are vastly more important, the 145 you quote is peanuts, and no doubt would be blasted into the weeds by a decent set up 120bhp engine in a real race, due to tractability that efi has over carbs.
You will never in a million years match that with carbs, he could use the existing ecu(ford) to run the TB's with mapping to suit, the ecu doesn't know or care what it is controlling.
It would have the added benefit of better economy and a pass if cat is required for mot ?
With ecu's costing what they do it is a serious consideration, but so is fuel economy, and the ability to easily use ecu on the next car.
Very true you can match sometimes the bhp or torque with carbs versus a EFI, but never with the same driveability, or mpg.
tabetha