timing on a stock 383

[73-charger-383]

Hi all.......I finally decided to time my car using a light.  From what I have read, the initial timing (vacuum advance unhooked - port plugged) should be around 12 BDTC.  I do not have a timing tape - but by going by the marker on the dampener - in order to get to 12 degrees my car will almost stall.  If i let it sit at around 15 it idles okay and doesn't backfire or anything.  At 15 i've only got about 15 inches of vacuum.  If i advance it closer to 17 ~ 20 degrees, i can pull around 17 inches....I think my carb is a little dirty too as the idle mixture adjustment screws do not have a dramatic impact on vacuum.

In short - should I be setting my timing to where it "should" be and then adjusting my idle speed (even if it means turning it up a ways to get it to idle) - and then try to adjust my carburetor to get the vacuum back up? - or should I leave it advanced a little (where it smooths out) and just go from there?

It's a stock 68' 383. 

[73-charger-383]

Got er' --- nevermind.....