Classic/Antique Car Repair: Ignition timing, btdc, vacume

Question
Hello again Roger,

So far my 66 Impala (283 cid with PowerGlide) is running aok.  Hopefully one last question for you. I set the timing 4 deg BTDC as the specs indicate.  Yep, I plugged the vac advance.  However, when I hook up the vacuum guage the reading indiates "late ignition timing".  Which reading should I actually pay attention to?  I also have noticed that when the car is at operating temperature, I get a slight hesitation from dead stop to when I give it the gas.

Many Thanks,

Jer

Answer
 HI Jerry
         Well if you have the vacume plugged and you did not advance the plate and bolt it down it is really not doing any good so I would put the hose back because you are not getting any advance thats why you get the flat spot.We would move the advance plate by hand then when it was up all the way we would drill a hole and put a bolt in it to hold the plate down in the adv. position, than plug the hose and it would work fine and we also put new weights and springs in the dist. as without doing that there is realy no gain by plugging the hose ok, You might have the timing a bit hi if it is doing that , you can plug the hose when you time it but if all is stock I would replace the hose for now till you get a dist. rebuilding kit. or a new dist. ok ( let me know if you need info on the dist. )
Roger