Reply to "Carb backfires"

Danish heritage solves everything!

Yes, you can check timing even if it won't run. Just use the timing light as if it was running, it'll flash every time it wants to fire, and then you read the result on the balancer.

Or, if you feel you're close, do this. Loosen distr bolt, turn distr 1 mm clock wise. That should give you a bit earlier timing, maybe enough to get it running.

When it's running, you have to adjust points to get proper V8 dwell angle, IIRC it's about 28 degrees, but if anybody knows, chime in please (I have no points, electronic). And then set the timing. Best to do as in my book, best to do to have optimum steady vacuum, but rough rules are:
as early ignition as possible with two restrictions: no detonation and not too hard to get running on the starter.