MuuMuu101's 68 Dart, A Learning Process...

Yeah, you are having the same issue I always had with cold driveability, I did get mine to be ok to be driven with the carb, however, it wasn't very responsive. Ultimately, smaller carbs have better driveability than larger ones so the 850 is probably hurting it. Of course, you don't have an exhaust crossover to warm the carb up either so that is a major hurt to it. This is exactly why I did the EFI swap. Now I can drive the exact same engine pretty much immediately.

I'll bet your stalling was either too high or two low of a float. If it's too high it may flood out and then be hard to start as well.

It could be fuel climbing out of the rear vent and flooding the carb. Quick test... take off the air cleaner and run rubber hose from the front vent to the rear vent with a T at the highest point. If that clears the issue, then that is what it is. May be a symptom of too high float level in the rear.

Here is a picture of a "quick and dirty" hose for the vents: http://i.imgur.com/0TwEs5a.jpg

You may have to do something like this... a double pumper would need two kits. Fuel Level Control Kit

Just start researching "off road" modifications for the Holley.