How to run a Carb car off gas can?
 

I'm looking to pick up a 1969 Impala with a 327 in it. The gas tank is currently not on the car but I want to start the car and see how she runs before buying it.

Can I just take some hose, connect it to the intake and return ports on the carb and just dunk the hoses in a jerry can?

Return port on a carb??? Just inlet, and you'll need a pump. Don't you know how cars work??

If you can get gas into the float bowls, it can start and run for a short time. (15 seconds, maybe) Use the vent tubes to fill them up, but I guess the problem is that you can overfill them.

Ho man that is exactly the video I was thinking of. Don't do that

You need some way to pressurize the carb. Either a fuel pump or get the source high to gravity feed (like a lawn mower)

If you just want to check for knocks and such just fill the bowls through the vent using a syringe or squirt bottle of some sort. I once drove a car home a half block at a time that way.

Fill the carb bowls with fuel
Connect a hose from gas can to the rear (inlet side) of fuel pump
Crank to start
Once its running, it should pull fuel from gas can
Good to go