77 360 tuning help please

i just purchased a 74 duster on Saturday, it’s a diamond in the rough, super clean Cali car.
it was originally a 318 car, the seller told me he purchased it from a guy who put the 360 in it.
I ID the engine from the casting numbers on the block, it’s a 360 manufactured in 08/77.
The engine has a mild street cam the seller knows nothing about what’s inside the engine, however he did say it was sopsedly rebuilt 12,000 miles ago.
It has a Edelbrock 750 CFM manual choke carb in it.
The problem is the car sputters and pops through the carb really bad, when it gets up to 180 degrees as long as you don’t put your foot in it it’s fine however if I punch it it backfires and pops through the carb.
I checked the choke it’s wide open at cold startup, not sure how to adjust it yet.
Can anyone here give me some pointers on tuning, I ordered the manuals however they are not here yet.
Somebody told me 77 heads suck ?? And that I need to change them out, maybe someone can shed some light on that.

Check the timing first. Then pull the top off that crappy Eddy carb, check the floats and make sure there is no crap in the bowls rust dirt etc plugging the needle and seat. Choke should be closed at cold startup and opens progressively when the engine warms up. Popping through the carb could be a lean condition, or the camshaft has a worn lobe on it.

The car smells very rich at idle, I’ll check inside the carb tomorrow, can you tell me what the timing should be on this engine please

All depends on the cam. Try giving it 10-12 initial.Or just say F*ck it and go 32-34 total all in by 3000 rpm. If it has an aftermarket cam, it may like lots of timing. I have a 340 hp 350 sbc in my vette, and it wants 25 initial with 35 total all in by 3000 runs like a champ.Came off the dyno that way.

the two idle mixture screws in the front of the carb...turn them all the way in and then back out 1 1/2 turns...that is a good starting point...

move the throttle linkage...does the accelerator pump squirt gas ....it needs to squirt as soon as the linkage moves...