To Time or not to Time

Are you checking the timing with the vacuum advance hose pulled and plugged? YES......

You probably have the original harmonic balancer and the outer ring could have slipped.
If so you will need to find top dead center on #1 and mark the balancer to correct it's marks.

When it was timed @ 0* before it didnt ping, and as noted on that Timing thread from this board, to get some snap out of your Slant Six time it to 10* BTDC, and lock down the advancer weights.