Timing question

DentalDart,
So what are your final, measured degrees advance at: idle; max. mechanical; and max. with mechanical and vacuum advance?
Have you tried using a timing light with an adjustable dial for measuring timing? They are quick and easy to use. Since you have timing tape on the pully, you can cross check them.
You want to know total timing with vacuum before you do any hard acceleration on the road so you don't get any preignition and possibly damage the engine. Find out how much is too much in the unloaded situation first. The engine rpm will start decreasing with higher RPM if there is too much Total advance (with vacuum attached). Also make sure that the vacuum hose is attached to the timed port on the carburetor, not the full vacuum port. You can find the highest rpm with total (mechanical and vacuum advance).
Richard