Lot's of good ideas. I'd check these two first:
Late ignition timing
Power valve
Based your description of the way it ran, I'd go with power valve. And checking is not just about seeing that it isn't ruptured, it's taking it out and pushing against a new one of same strength, to see if it's gone hard during the winter. I had a boat once that ran like you describe, changed the power valve in the Dominator, ran perfectly after that.
PANTERA INTERNATIONAL
A DE TOMASO CAR CLUB
Presents the De Tomaso Forums
The On-Line Meeting Place for De Tomaso Owners and Enthusiasts From Around the World
Clicking on the banner will take you to the sponsor's website.