engine / transmission install

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

run on after ignition kill is detonation. especially on a carbed car. you have something wrong on one or multiple cylinders. i suspect lean in forward and read cylinders. being a carb intake. middle cylinders fueled well outside ones not so much, especially at low engine rpm/vacuum. use a heat gun to see your exhaust temps. like i sed before. will tell you what cylinders are hot and to look at intake gasket in that area possibly.

what dynamic compression is this motor. i dont care what paper sez for 12:1 blah blah. what is the cold cylinder pressure in PSI. first hit and max psi.

as far as cold start sounds like timing. you run a choke? does it fully close? try not closing it completely. big cams are very inefficient at low rpm/idle. not a lot of fuel needed to get it started and keep it going.