Hi All!
I finally got to time my bug. I must admit I'm not very good at it - it looked to be about 5 or 6 degrees off and it wouldn't move much - no power. I retimed it - 30 degrees btdc (009 distributor) with my boyfriend stepping on the gas - I do not know for sure if it was 3000 rpm, but I'm pretty sure it was above it. I used a static timing light and kinda had a hard time of it - it seemed that the number showing during the timing light flash would jump around alot especially at high rpms. I did my best to approximate 30 degrees btdc -- it says 30 most of the time (I have a degree wheel). Anyhow, the car drives now and moves pretty well.
That said, it is backfiring quite a bit when under load - it accelerates pretty well but backfires. Once I am up to speed and maintaining it or slowing down, it does not backfire. The car had been sitting waiting for me to time it for a while (4 months maybe?) and the gas in it is probably a year old... Could it still be timing? Could it be old gas? Could it be something else? I have electronic ignition and I just checked the valve gaps. It is a 73 standard with a weird single weber progressive carb that I have not touched.
Thanks! Jen