Might help if you have a Dwell meter. Set the point gap. Set the timing(initial setting) start. use the dwell meter(it can tell if the point gap is not optimal) If all is working(sort of) then use a local hill to fine tune the timing. Up the hill and no "ping"? then advance a bit. Repeat until it "pings". Then retard a bit.Timing is done. Dwell is done. Now for the other things that cause rough run. Set the valve train(one tight valve will cause it to be rough) Use a vacuum gage to check the idle mix. Set to max vacuum. Mix is done. With valves set. Timing set, and Dwell set. Check the plugs. One bad plug will cause rough.After all that( I know,it is a process) You are left with a few possible bad actors. Condenser, they do go bad(just not often). Bad cap/rotor(carbon in the cap is not your friend). You can clean the cap. You can clean the rotor. The air gap is critical. Use care and see if that helps. Things left, none are fun to get to or fix, Mechanical advance. Rust and sticky are the bad actors. Vacuum advance, leaky? Change it. Not leaking? Let it be. You have to pull the dizzy to fix those two things. Then you get to start all over from the beginning(I did say these are not fun, right?) That is about it. Some one here will tell on me if I left anything out.
