Hi and welcome. Like another member who replied, I can address only parts
of you query.
> first, the dashlights are out... could one simply leave the
> old switch in the dash and bypass it (leaving the lights on full?)
This makes the most sense. Later, if you feel like spending the money for
the correct rheostat, you can just hook it up. However if your car is like
mine, the lights will be plenty bright. On dark country lanes I often find
it nice to turn them down.
> second, the seller set the timing to 2 degrees ATDC (I think that this
> is the factory spec) to pass the CA smog test. I was playing with it
> last weekend and it runs much smoother if set to about 6 deg. BTDC.
My car is a 1980 with 1976 engine. As far as I know, your engine, carb, and
dizzy should be similar to mine. In stock form it has a vacuum retard that
pulls the timing back at idle only. You should be able to find the vacuum
line between carb and dizzy if it is still there. If it works, 2 ATDC seems
in the ballpark for idle. Don't recall the exact spec. However your PO may
have removed it (or not replaced it if it was busted). If so then perhaps
she/he pulled the timing back for inspection purposes, but then usually
pushed it forward again after driving away. (If so too, the vacuum tap on
the carb would have to have been plugged.) If it was left at the "clean"
setting when you bought it then you'll probably want to push it forward.
However...
> (it does idle a bit higher now (~1200 rpm),
It is normal for rpm to go up, not because of the carb per se but because of
the moderately higher energy utilization (i.e. more power) the comes from
advanced timng. But be careful here. Firstly, 1200 rpm isn't really
necessary; it should be able to idle stably at 900-1000, maybe even 800 rpm.
More importantly, if the vacuum retard unit is still functional and you set
the idle timing to 6 BTDC, it will then be too advanced when the idle-retard
goes away under running throttle. You can check if that retard unit is
still functional by pulling the line off the diaphram (and plugging the
line) and noting whether the rpms go up. If so, the retard is functional,
and you should set the timing back. After all that, listen carefully for
pinging while going uphill on a highway. If so, pull your timing back.
(Note, you'll need Sunoco Ultra or similar gas anyway.) For what it's
worth, I've experimented a few times with pulling my retard off, but aways
put it back on. Back when it was young enough to require emissions testing,
it flunked without it, passed easily with it. It has always idled well
enough with it that removing it was never a big win anyway.
> the motor seems to be from a later car (124129UCE) and has
> a single Stomberg carb.
They all have single carbs. That's okay, they weren't barn-burner fast
anyway! Too bad about newer engine though. 1976 (non California) had 9:1
instead of 7.5:1 compression ratio. Note, a few items are different from
year to year on the engine. For example, the fuel pump is different between
1976 and 1980, and the wrong one won't work. So for some parts you'll need
to know the year, or least be close. Your engine number seems to be pretty
late, possibly '97 or '80.
Enjoy!
Jim Muller
jimmuller@pop.rcn.com
'80 Spitfire (Percy)
'70 GT6+ (Nigel)
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