timing at 30 BTDC?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Right. More initial (the distributor setting) is better response, and low end. But, like I said, too much is not good. If you run 30* initial, you need to limit the other advance(s) to 5-8*. Otherwise, as you rev up, the centrifical begins to come in, and your total timing jumps from 30* to 35* then 45* and depending on the distributor, may end up around 50*. That's way too much for good power under full throttle. Add to that if your vaccum advance is functional during light throttle cruise situations. It is better to have not enough low down, then way too much all the other times. So, you need to know how many degrees the centrifical advance is.