Total Timing?

Here's some more information on ignition tuning - starting at page 5

http://www.dippy.org/upgrade/ignition.pdf

NOTE: These are the instructions that come with MP distributors. MP distributors are known to have very light springs so the mechanical starts (too) early and is all in at a relatively low RPM (around 2000). The key to using this timing technique is to know the specs or your distributor. Using this technique without knowing the specs or your distributor is a total crap shoot. The springs will determine at what RPM mechanical advance starts and how fast and at what point RPM it reaches the total.

So, if you follow GTS Registry's suggestion for the advance curve and the shop sets it to those specs, then you would drop your dizzy back in, run the car up to 2500 RPM and turn the dizzy till you get 36 degrees with the timing light and you're done. When you set the idle back down the initial will be wherever it is. It would be a good idea to run the RPMs up beyond the 2500 to make sure the shop did it right and it doesn't continue to advance.

You can then move on to the vacuum advance adjustments. There's nothing wrong with running vacuum advance on a street car.

FWIW, I had Don at FBO recurve my MP distributor based on engine, cam, intake, rear, etc. It came back with specs of 16 initial with 34 total all in by 3400 RPM! I may change the springs so that my total is all in at a lower RPM.