A small update for today, I pulled the cold start device which I had totally cleaned when I rebuilt the carb. At the time of rebuild, the small piston that controls the cold start fuel squirt/enrichment was binding and it would not travel up and down correctly. At that time I polished the piston and got it working BUT, I did notice that the tollerance is very tight as it would bind when I tightened down the entire cold start device. Today, as expected, I found the cold start piston locked in the up or NON enrichment position - so all this hard starting and excessive coaxing to start is at least in a major part caused by the cold start complete failure. That was the issue I mentioned I need to look into.

As I said, the car runs really well once started - despite the whole timing head scratcher.

I think you may be onto something whith the stretched timing chain - perhaps the timing is not that far off but the indicators are.

Chris

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1969
Model 220 gasoline
Chassis: W115.010