[DGNY]

Thanks for this discussion, everyone. I haven't had an A for many years, but would like to change that. So please understand I am not the well grounded users you all are.

Nonetheless -- when we bought the late [~5/15-31] Tudor deluxe A in July '53 [it had 87000 on the clock and had been 'rebuilt around 60000 we were told; suspect merely re-ringed] we followed the Ford manual we bought as to timing. Set up the timing per specs. Dist seemed fairly tight without a lot of play, for what it is worth, but we rotated per instructions from someone/somewhere to take up the existing play.

After setting points - and rechecking for wear-in on rub block, we always retarded fully to start. Advanced partially around town - around 1/2 and on road a whisker more. You could feel how the engine was running and you select the only the least advanced point at which it still runs the best, and advance no more. Any more was a mistake and ignition would knock, as ours did.

That was eons ago, but is one guy's clear recollection from age 14-15.

Regards,

Dyson