"Dwell" is measured in degrees of distributor rotation. Are we comparing apples and oranges? If you're measuring crankshaft degrees of timing advance with a delay-flash timing light, you might be a little low. I usually disconnect the vacuum advance and set the engine speed to 1800-2000 or so, and set the initial + centrifugal advance to around 35-36 degrees. When the vacuum is reconnected, expect the total advance to go to about 45 or a little more during light-throttle cruise. If the engine doesn't get a detonation rattle on a long uphill pull in high gear, you should be good to go.
32 degrees of dwell, measured at the side terminal of the distributor with a dwell meter, is about right, depending on the part number of the distributor. You'll still need to check the total timing at cruise RPM, however.
Jerry
