Crate 350 & Holley 1850...keep or ditch?

[Daubs]

The K-20 has a new crate engine and I've been experiencing off idle stumbling and even backfiring. Messed with timing and finally have it good-to-go (kept advancing until ping, then backed off, but engine still stumbles and even backfires at times).

So I google search the Holley 1850 and find this article: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/53058/

And I quote, "The problem with low manifold vacuum in the 1850 is it requires more idle throttle blade opening, which exposes most of the idle transfer slot to feed sufficient fuel to the engine to keep it running at idle. This often creates an overly rich idle mixture, which leads directly to a lean flat-spot just off-idle. This lean condition often leads to a backfire."

The article has some recommendations for solving this issue.

The big question is should I keep the Holley and work with her, or just ditch and get something else (Edelbrock, Q-jet, other?) It's the stock 350 crate engine with Edelbrock performer intake and Ram-Horn exhaust. Four speed manual tranny with 4.10 gears and glass packs on duals.