Lotsa good input here - THX ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't really notice the hesitation when I did the break-in on a test stand - which may suggest the problem to be a linkage matter. Either way I've got some good input here to check.

The other problem, the rich idle - getting to "square" on the idle transition slot with sufficient idle rpm - is haunting me. Need more air or less fuel, sounds simply huh? Holley tech suggested to drill the butterflies. I'm leaving that as a last resort.