Getting hot and it's not even hot yet.

Make sure the power valves are correct and in good shape. Jet to stock specs and tune from there.

I rebuilt the carb back mid winter. No pv in the secondaries, primary metering block is a 4.5. New acc pump diaphragms, needle and seats, .37 squirters (had an off lean problem back when), and a bunch of little nonsense. The factory jet sizes were 78 primary and 84 secondary. Do you guys run squared all around or staggered like this? A few of the old hot rodders I know look at me like I'm retarded when I tell them they're staggered.

Power valves in or no power valves at all square.... Power valve on primary side only typical 6 to 8 jet size split to compensate for the lack of the power valve enrichment, or more accurately you've reduced the primary side 6 to 8 because the power valve is there to enrich the system when at WOT>

Ahhhhhhh. That makes plenty of sense. I just had one of those Homer Simpson "doh!!" Moments. Thanks for that lol

This is a street machine...Factory jetting will be close enough for the girls I run with.   

It'll run rich without the power valves. Look the carb # up and put the correct jets and PV's in it. Check your vacuum at idle and in gear . If the idle reading is lower than the PV number it'll run rich.....

^^^^^^^^^^ This, and make sure the power valve is still good. They do go bad sitting up dry, and the older Holley's don't have backfire preventors, and a backfire through the carb will destroy a PV. Use the list number off the carb, to get factory jetting. 37 shooters dump alot of gas fast, depending on the pump cams, also. When you get the PV and jets squared away, you may want to change them back to smaller ones? Don't forget internal dirt/trash in Holley's also wreck havoc, and all tunning is a fruitless/bandaid, if this is the case.

Carb was rejetted back to stock today, which was still rich. So it now sits two sizes lower than factory jetting which cured the smoking. I actually used a vacuum gauge today and set the idle mixtures and whatnot using it instead of being hardheaded and doing it by ear. It runs around 14 in vacuum at idle around 900 rpm. The pv is a 4.5 (that's what the factory spec calls for) so it's in no danger of coming on anywhere near idle. I double checked the power valve (which was replaced when I rebuilt it a few months ago anyway), the pump diaphragms, and the acc pump arms, and all seems to be just fine at this point. It's running pretty healthy right now.

Also flushed/drained the cooling system to refill and maybe try out some of that water wetter stuff but I ran out of daylight and warm weather as it's supposed to get down to 25* tonight. It was 80*+ two days ago   But at least I have something to look forward to tomorrow lol.

HeHe Hard Headed, never been called that before, not.   Yes a Vacuum guage is the book way to set idle and works as well of better than ear, most of the time. So any way did you count the turns, I am curious what it ended up at? What is the list number of the carb, also? Glad your getting it dialed in, and let us know how it turns out.  

The carb is a proform 850 race carb. Basically a quickfuel I reckon. All the individual parts are stamped qft. All the mixture screws are between 3/4 and a full turn out. It's probably running better than it has since I've had it running. Filled the radiator up today and went for a cruise and everything seems to be aok. But of course it's 30* outside so the cooling system isn't really going to reflect any troubles. When I had it out in 80* weather a few days ago it never got above 200 and mainly held right at 190 so I'm not terribly worried about it. I'm just happy the ol girl is coming round full circle!   

Sounds like you have about got it whipped, good deal.

Boy I hope so. I certainly do appreciate all the help from everybody on here as well. Here's to an awesome summer of tires assaulting pavement like the tires are Ike and the pavement is Tina turner!