I won't be messing with the carbs just yet.
I haven't had the car long (hence all the forum activity) and like most cars that have been little used it probably just needs driving.
I think that's what's known in the trade as an "Italian tune-up"
Usually involves a quick blast at max revs down the nearest dual carriageway, usually in the vain hope it will dislodge or unblock whatever is causing the carbs to misbehave...
No point in messing with the carbs until you know the valve timing and ignition timing are correct. After many years of messing about with old cars and bikes I've come to the conclusion fully reconditioned or new carbs are the way to go when looking for a set up. I've wasted hours and hours trying work around and compensate for worn out carbs. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to get an engine running well if you start off with decent carbs.
A good tip I got from a well known engine guru was to make large incremental changes when setting up carbs, this applies to jetting and also to adjusting air or mixture screws. When you do this you get a real feel for what the changes are doing and then you can back track in small increments until you achieve the required result.
