Well, finally got it running today. But I have a problem....It wont stay running, I can get it started by reaching in the car hitting the button and operating the throttle manually, I was doing this to get a timing light on it. It seems I only have 20 degrees advance, and then my MSD (older style) hits the fabricated valve covers. My question is shouldnt it be able to run and idle @ 20 degrees initial? I understand I'll have to do something to be able to move the distributor, but I figured is should still run. It's REAL lazy. I can keep it running as long as I keep playing/ pumping with the throttle. does this sound like maybe a vacuum leak? While I had it running I sprayed starting fluids around the intake and the carb base, but no change in RPM.... Not to sound confusing it will run but will not stay running and idle unless I sit there and and keep giving it throttle.

BTW, the carb was on the engine before I took the car apart and ran and idled, it's a QTF 1050.
Anyway; any and all advice is much appreciated!!!

sounds more like a carb issue, 20* timing should be good enough.

Maybe you could rotate all the plug wires over one position to get more advance out of it.

Yeah you can rotate the wires in the cap 1 position.
I assume the idle screws are backed out a turn to 2 turns
with the transfer slot about 1/2 open for a curb idle

If it's a big cam it may want 30 + to idle.
Stock cam should idle at 10 or less???

Mine likes 38 with roller cam???

it's likely a vacuum leak or impreoperly calibrated carb.
do you have to keep pumping (even if slightly) the carb for it to stay running at idle. what is the idle rpm set at?
give me a call if you want and i'll walk you through some corrective steps.

JOHN, AS I remember the old motor had 12-13 inital,33total@2800-3000 rpm, used 2 different carbs,the 4150 style that was in the box and the 1050 dom on motor. both ran fine. Bob.

My 451 in my last car didn't like low timing, but ran sweet when the timing was up. I'm no expert and never thought about moving all the plug wires, but I used to pop the distributor out and move the oil pump drive gear one tooth to give me more room to move my distributor. Worked for me.

Well thank you to all that gave advice..ESPECIALLY Dram, thank you for the time you took over the phone with me. I still have some fine tuning to do, it's a little fat and not quite as crisp as it should be.
This was a budget build, I would have loved to use the vendors like Dram or Competition wedge for all new parts, who took time out of their days to give me quotes, but it just wasnt in the cards to go that route. I can say I dealt with a lot of straight up good people, all parts that went in to this engine came from members here and the advise in assemble came from other really good members..
Thank You
Dram
Bob George
Mr.PBody
DC426
wesw
Mopar65
70RTRacer
Blown572dart
PoppaJ
Of course TPAhemi (bought the car from him and has been very helpful ever since)

I know this maybe over the top, but I'm just really happy it finally runs again after a year. I have always built my own engines, but this is the first in about 10 years. This is a great community, AGAIN thanks to all the have provided any kind of help, parts, assistance or just encouragement.

Now to finish it up and have some fun!!!!

Thats great you got it running. What part did I buy for ya? j/k

It'd hard doin a budget build on these things. As we both know.

So I take it you got your prob solved? What was wrong? I've had the plug wires off one hole on the dizzy and had similar probs. Rotated the wires one hole and it ran strong.

You helped too Jesse, you helped buy the car to get the whole deal going...your not forgotten!!! Pretty much a combination of things, I took the carb apart and cleaned it all, then started with a baseline setting given to me by Dram, got rid of the fabricated covers and reset the timing and it just decided to run, right now its at 36 degrees timing, the dizzy is locked out. Like I said still have some fine tuning to do, maybe change the water restrictor or put a t-stat in it, warms up pretty quick. Still things to do, but the major part is done, my neighbors love me already!! It's a little louder than the Dart...

Hey John,
Glad to hear you have it running good now...I'm sure it will take a little tweaking to get the max..

very cool, going to have to come and see it.

PS Arrow,
glad to hear you got it running and everything worked out. it sounds like a few little tweaks and you'll be all set. if you ever need any help, i'll be here.

thanks to both you and BDS for the kind words

There we go !!!!!!
Two red Arrow's going at it on Pink's
Winner takes home an extra red Arrow.