In my opinion, we're not talking here about a TL. Therefore, the 1/4-wave tuning does not apply. With only a pipe hanging out, it's still a bass reflex box. Instead of having the port or duct within the box, it's outside.
Yes, this could be tackled in a few ways...
If you read the article I linked By Kent English and Nelson Pass they clearly describe El Pipe-o as a transmission line, and by all accounts it matches everything else I've seen in the category of a TL utilizing a Coupling Chamber.
Yes, you can achieve a Vented box using external vents as you describe. It might be easier to break them into two shorter pipes, also.
Is one better than the other?
(I think that's a loaded question!)
Yet
@CajunLB specifically asked if it would be possible to turn his existing subwoofer, a 15" Dayton Ultimax in a sealed 3cu.ft. box, into an El Pipe-O.
Frankly, I think with the right amp and DSP, he can achieve some decent infrasonic behavior with what he has... how loud?, I cannot speculate, but that driver is designed to be pushed more like the modern Pro Driver Sub builds are.
Regardless, my skills aren't there for this... I've spent a lot of time looking at all of this lately for myself and I am still learning how to apply all of this.
For an El Pipe-O, Transmission Line with Coupling Chamber, conversion, the only person I can think of here that can answer whether it could work is
@TLS Guy , if he would be willing to help our friend
@CajunLB out.
Again, for anybody that didn't see it the first time, the English-Pass article: