Finally figured it out!

[blazer02]

You can set the idle and timing in Drive-Just have someone inside the truck with his foot on the brake....You don need no stinking tree!

[skillet]

I read that "time in drive" thing yrs. ago in some manual, but I couldn't believe that's what they meant. I was always afraid to try it and none of the trees where I lived were big enough anyways. I finally saved up enough money to buy a timing light and owl be danged, the engine would die everytime I got it close to what the manual said. So I gave up with the light and timed it (and tuned the carb) with nothing but my ear. That little 283 ran smooth as silk. The motor lasted me for 17 yrs. and it had been rebuilt 2 yrs. before I got it. So that was 19 yrs. of life after the rebuild. Somtimes the best computer is the one between your ears. P.S. Thank you GM for making the 283. At least for me, it was the perfect blend of power, economy and durabilty.