My timing marks were covered in 30 years of rattle can paint.
One hack I came up with was to get a sheet of the timing tapes I can't remember the diameter right now, but easy to figure out by math or a measuring tape--and mounted it semi permanently with some 3M 2 sided body tape once I found TDC. The tape as a temp fix is still going strong after 4 years. Wasn't planning on the fix lasting this long, but not complaining.

Mike Rizzo

1963 F100 "Rudy"

Daniel Island, SC

Yes, that's one of the items I need, thank you.

MSD 8383

I hope you still have the MSD8383 instruction manual. According to the installation instructions, the MSD 8383 distributor comes with the "BLUE" advance stop bushing installed - that is 21º at the crankshaft. The stock engine will operate well with a total of 35º of mechanical advance. So - as delivered it would tolerate an initial crank setting of 14º. It also comes with a factory set of advance springs - (2) HEAVY SILVER springs - and per the included chart, they would reach full travel at about 4000 rpm together with the BLUE bushing. The default RPM limit is 10,000 RPM - don't go there OK?. 

Myself, I would suggest the following set-up for a stock engine:
Initial advance at idle 10º
Use the SILVER advance stop bushing (replace the BLUE bushing) to get a 25º limit ,the sum of these being the 35º total
Change out the HEAVY SILVER springs with two of the LIGHT BLUE (for poor gas) as the advance would be all in at 3500 rpm. Using one of the LIGHT SILVER and one of the LIGHT BLUE (better gas) springs would net full advance at about 2800 rpm.  

There are no instructions included for the vacuum pot - only a ramp. Many of the vacuum pots have an internal screw that will adjust the "FULL" advance of the unit - but this one is an unknown. Given that these engines in good tune with a factory cam will easily deliver 15 inches of vacuum - it could be adding as much as 16º of additional advance at high vacuum - and that might be a bit too much. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Based on stock engines, and it's been a while, I'm going to go with Steve on this. I ran a timing computer and a Delco vacuum unit for quite a while. It let me keep the tach drive dizzy in my 55 bird, without spending $700 on a 57 tach drive in need of a rebuild.

The motor will probably take the full vacumn advance at cruise, but you may find a part throttle (60-90% throttle) ping. That's going to be the time to limit the vacuum advance adjustment if it has one.

I had a vacumn gauge in the car, and a hand held vacumn pump, so I could get a second set of hands and look at the advance curve at different vacumn and rpm levels. Bunch of work, and not really needed.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ