For 59, it's a 223 according to all the info I can gather. This weekend I ran through the motor changed oil and filter (I think is had the OEM oil in it...black as ink, sludge in the filter cartridge), cleaned spark plugs (one was carbon fouled so bad the spark gap was non-existent), installed exhaust manifold/pipe gasket (none installed, nuts were not even finger tight), pulled VC and half of the rockers had 1/16 of "lash" or so...very loose, adjusted all of those. The guy said the head was off when he purchased it a couple years ago so I am thinking that it was not re-installed properly. It already had a new cap (not sure if new rotor), and new fuel pump with integrated vacuum pump, and new wires. All I need now is to repair the choke linkage on the carb and drain/replace the gas in the tank and I will be ready to start it up again. Should sound and run much better. I am surprised it ran at all prior to this. Might explain why it "would not go over 20mph"... So three questions for the time being...
Being a 59, would this have solid or hydraulic lifters? When I adjusted them, I just took the play out of the rockers and left it at that.
Are the rockers non-sequential? IOW, instead of E, I, E, I, E, I.....it looks like it might go (front to back) E, I, I, E, etc...where the #1 and #2 share an intake runner as do #5 and #6. True?
How do you set the timing? I could do it "by ear" I suppose? No timing marks that I can see unless I missed it, no idea what vacuum ought to be...