Smooth Idle Problem

350 with later model heads.
9.5:1
Gear Drive
Lunati 292
Edelbrock Intake and carb
HEI dist with the "middle" springs

It wont lope and it runs warm. This thing should sound like the drum solo at the beginning of Van Halen's Hot For Teacher but it sounds more like my dad's Suburban. (268/272 RV cam) I had a Wolverine Blue Racer 276 in the last motor - very similar idle.

i went back through the wiring and everything is right. She tries to lope at 0 but as we all know... that ain't happening. I have advanced the distributor as far as I can turn it and... welp... she likes it. She was pulling 20 inches of vacuum on the non-ported side of the carb at 1200 RPM with the dist as far as I could twist it.

I was not there when the cam was put in - a trusted friend did it and I know he advanced it. It is possible that he advanced it too far? I have considered getting a timing chain and putting it in with no advance to see what I get. (yes, a lot of work hence the reason I am in the forum!)

I have never had this occur. She hits hard, makes plenty of power and wraps pretty well but IMHO a little slow.

Open to any and all ideas.