1WildII said:
It's possible you might have done damage to the elec. ignition box, but unlikely since it is running. You must be using the distributor that had came with the car or one like it because The first year for Duraspark was 1975. That's fine cause all the DS distributors will interchange. But in your situation, usually if you short out the ign. box, it won't run at all.
On your carb, make sure you got a vacuum line going to the port on the metering block on the passenger side of the carb. The metering block is a part of the carb that is a little over 1/2" thick and sandwiched between the fuel/float bowl and the carb body. The port will be just infront of the Choke assembly, if equipped. Now- You can run without the advance hooked up. If the diaphram is bad on the distributor this will be a vacuum leak when throttled. You really only see the affects of the vacuum advance when the engine is accelerated under a load. Running static (not driving) the throttle should be snappy reguardless.
I'm gonna have to go with Wart on this one. Sounds like you could have more gremlins in the carb itself. If gas has been sittin in that carb for a while it (you dodn't saw if it was new or not) can do untold damage. Be sure to check and make sure all the ports on the carb and intake are plugged and the base of the carb is tight to the body and the carb itseld is cinched down well with a good gasket. Are you getting any vacuum draw from the port the advance hooks to when idling?