An NOS one will have a removable cap with a spring under it so you can experiment all you want shimming the spring to advance or delay the vacuum advance. I have never mucked around with that but there are specs and I think the trucks were different than the cars. Advance was supposed to start at 4 in hg IIRC.

The fifties GMC medium and heavy trucks I worked on didn't have a vacuum advance at all. Think of a GMC dump truck grossing 32,000 powered by a 270. The throttle only had two useful positions; wide open or idle.


1951 3800 1-ton
"Earning its keep from the get-go"
In the DITY Gallery
1962 261 (w/cam, Fenton headers, 2 carbs, MSD ign.), SM420 & Brown-Lipe 6231A 3spd aux. trans, stock axles & brakes. Owned since 1971.