<VV> Funky idle question

[judynrandy at comcast.net]

I just finished helping a friend with a re-seal and ironing out of bugs in his drivetrain.  His car is a '64 monza with a '65 110/pg.  It seems the previous owner created a "frankenstein"  engine.  Some of the correct shrouds were there,  and some ot the late-model shrouds where shoe-horned, twisted, and banged into the early engine bay.  The roofing tar and inner tube pieces made it a blast to figure out.  The crowning jewel was the FC trans mount.  When installed, the engine sagged about an 1 1/2 inches making the installation of the front shroud impossible.  We persevered and finally got things figured out.  Anyway, the engine was resealed, the heads deflashed and thoroughly inspected.  The valves and seats looked excellant.  The valves lapped in great.  New valve springs were installed.  A Pertronix I was installed.  The advance weights and mechanism were also cleaned and greased. 

New cap, rotor, good plug wires and plugs. 

      Now, this is where it gets fun.  The carbs are '63 or '64.  I can't remember if they had the vent.  When I first met Ralph, he complained of a poor idle.  The carbs were rebuilt.  No change.  In neutral, the engine idled ok.  Not great, but it was close.  When you dropped it in gear, the idle becomes much rougher and Ralph complained of having to put it in neutral to keep it running.  Once it got going down the highway it worked ok.  

      After the engine was reinstalled and started, the same thing.  I did notice it was a little trickier to get the carbs synchronized than usual.  Lastly, when we attempted to set the timing, I noticed the timing mark wasn't steady, it jumped all over the place (within a quarter inch space). 

      Could the problem be the '63 or 64' carbs on a 110?  Since the timing marks jump all over, could it possibly be the distributor? 
          



Any thoughts and opinions welcome.  Thanks. 



Randy (Cap'n) Hook 

'65 monza 4dr 110/pg 

'63 ragtop 84/pg