I finished my planned mods (for now) a bit eary except for the serpintine conversion and Ravin muffler install.
Good 1st question, do I need another water pump or are they both standard rotation? And whats the routing for no AC (for now) and no air pump?

I took the 355 that was in the truck until the 402 swap and put it along with a 5 speed into the firebird. Saved me the cost of an 86+ flywheel and rided me of the leaking RMS.
This 355 was consitantly running 12.9's with a comp 270H that was latter swaped for a SNS soild lift cam, not useable in a street setup. Before this went into the bird I upgraded the heads from ported 58cc heads to a Dart set, 64cc to reduce some of the compression but not much since I used the steel head gaskets with the new heads. Also swapped the SNS cam out for a Melling 22210 LT1 cam close to the 270H I had before and went with some Rhodes fast bleed lifters. The car idles fine (appearantly) just a slight hickup on the tack that is making the timing A little jumpy on the timing light 4*. I set initial timing at 12*. Driving down the street its runs fine under part and medium throttle and actually under WOT too but it doesent have the power it should, kinda like theres no advance. I checked the vacuum advance and it does work at least it tests fine with a vacuum pump, mechanical advance seems fine no weights sticking and appears to have full travel. What does bug me and is making me think somthing is FUBAR with the timing is I have no detonation at all!!!!! When in the truck I couldent run 85 octaine fuel (thats whats in the firebird) or the sucker would rattle and ping under light loads unless I ran at least 91 + 2 bottles of boost.
Now I can shift into 5th gear from 2nd and cob it with no pinging at all. The heads couldent have reduced that much compression.

EDIT: Also put 100 miles on the car for cam break in and this setup is being fed by a 805085-S 750 Holley. Gota have the chrome look. Also Sorry this may be kinda confusing I soooooo frustrated dinking with this all day.

 

The extra 6cc chamber volume might have something to do with that. It probably dropped the static compression at least half a point. If the Dart heads are aluminum, you're also getting slightly cooler chambers, which can reduce detonation tendencies even more.

 

Thanks for the reply. I think Ive found the problem. Although the weights are free in the distributor they arent going as far as they should at least I think they should have a bit more travel. When turning the post the weights are only traveling a tad less then 1/4in. Recurved distributor my @ss!!!!!!! I'm going to get a cheapo Specture curve kit and see what happens.