The red color on the insulator looks like some additives in the gas, but the timing looks way too fast to me...usually all in isn't until somewhere closer to 2500 or higher.
I have a little led additive in the gas. The plugs are about 2 years old.
I have not messed with the timing for about two years until these last days. I was under the impression you wanted the timing full in before 2000 rpm. I'm thinking of ordering a mopar electronic conversion kit from mancini. Something I have been wanting to do for a while even before these resent headaches. When looking at the marks with the timing at idle the "move" around some. It's hard to get a correct reading. Could be the gun, could be the pertronix I have a pretty steady idle at about 800 rpm, I have a pretty big cam for a 273 though.