Well, if we want to get into the pinging issue...
The ping is under moderate to high load and higher speeds, such as on an uphill stretch of highway. I rarely drive on the highway and I don't drive aggressively, so it rarely happens unless I'm testing for it. It's been like that since I got the car 7 years ago with 79k original miles. At that point it had stock everything, with a 1bbl Holley 1945.
Last year I rebuilt the engine. Compression is about 8.9:1 static, 7.7:1 dynamic (I removed material from the block and head and had my camshaft reground to Oregon Cam 2106r specs). A few months later, I installed a Super Six intake with a new Chinese BBD replica carburetor. Every ignition component has been replaced.
Mixture: Wideband AFR reads 16-17 or higher under load with the throttle moderately open or wide open.
Cam timing: checked within 2 degrees when I rebuilt the engine. Harmonic balancer was rebuilt at the time.
Ignition Timing: I rebuilt the distributor with a heavier spring so the advance is about 21 degrees max. It likes a lot of advance at low RPM. I can get the ping to go away by retarding the initial timing, but then it feels underpowered in my normal driving conditions.
Exhaust: Shortly after getting the car, I had the exhaust pipe and muffler replaced.
Ideas welcome.
