Bobrod----------The Fe engines out of the factoies had the plug wires in loom holder brackets on the valve covers and the passerger side 1,2,3,4 were in order-the driver side--to eliminate a crossfire between 7 and 8 had the wires in the bracket 7, 5, 6,8----many times I've repaired issues such as yours by correcting the wire location------
What makes you think your valve seats are fine????????40 years of unleaded gas???

And why do you have an Edelbrock carb on it????????