Solutions for too much compression

There is your problem(s)

That distributor brings in the timing FAST and LOW.

Disconnect and plug the vacuum advance. Use a NON-ADVANCE timing light preferably or use yours with no advance dialed into it. Use another light to confirm yours works properly as I've first hand seen one that doesn't. Mark your harmonic balancer at 34 degrees with a sharpie or paint pen. Shoot the light at it and rev to 3000 and make the line you made line up with zero on the pointer. Lock the dizzy down. Now check initial timing. Rev to 3500 to check total at 34 degrees again.

Let us know where the initial falls.

Then, with the vacuum advance still UNHOOKED AND PLUGGED, go drive it. Let us know how that goes. Your issues IMO are 100% timing related.
Results are in...

Plugged the vacuum advance.

Total at 3000 is 34
At 2000 is 28
At 1500 is 20
Idle at 800 rpm is 10 degrees

Pinging it’s head off under power, even at 2000 rpm. Power feels pretty good until I have to let off because of the pinging.
I’m using a regular timing light, not a dial back.
I did recheck my timing mark today.

Question...

If I go buy a jug of high octane race gas, and then try to run more advance, and it doesn’t ping. What would that verify?