1977 911S timing help!

[77Targa0912]

I can't seem to find a consensus as to what the timing should be for my US spec (49 state) 77 911S. Engine has a fresh top end and stock CIS. Air pump has been removed and thermal reactors are gone.

Idle advance?, max advance? My pully has timing marks at three locations.

I hope to have this car sorted for a 1200 mile drive in one month.

[The cap'n]

What does the label tell you? For the 49 state version, the book says TDC +/- 2 degrees at 950-1000 RPM, hose connected.

The Cap'n

[T77911S]

TDC.
mine had a 15 ATDC mark, a 5BTDC and a 30 or 35 degree mark if i remember correctly.
the 77s has a lot of retard at idle, which is not a bad thing despite what others here will say.
i did LOTS and LOTS of testing on mine as far as timing, temp and AFR's.
i really preferied the sound at idle with the retard. that also lets you run a tad richer across the RPM range. the retard comes out so fast off idle that it does not effect the driving.

i usually set my timing for the 30(35) degreee mark and only used idle timing for reference.

put an 11 blade fan on it, back date the exhaust system and remove the emmisions crap (if you can) and even with the stock loop cooler my temps stayed around 195 maybe 200. now that is with normal driving and hot southern summer days. but once you start running it hard, its going to get hot.

here is the deal on idle timing (retard). i dont think of retard as nothing more than another form of advance. i think the term "retard" has a negative effect on people.
what i found in my testing is that the more it fires ATDC, the hotter the engine will run at IDLE. BUT, once you start driving, it will cool back down. this is not to say that TDC for your car is going to make it idle hot. i actually set mine for 15 degrees ATDC to get it to run hot at idle.