Yepper, first things first on the remodeling. When you get the chance, though, keep me posted on what you find with the timing. I know that you were feeling that the initial timing was too advanced. I do know that if, as you said, you did all movement from the front of the plane, and if you actually did turn the hub ring clockwise as viewed from the front, then you actually advanced the timing rather than retarded it. Think about it ......... viewed from the FRONT the propeller's normal rotation is counter-clockwise. If you loosen the set screw and rotate the hub ring clockwise (as viewed from the front) then the pulse switch trips sooner than it did, as in timing being ADVANCED. To retard the timing, the hub ring must be turned counter-clockwise, in the same direction as the prop spins, again, as viewed from the front.

Anyway, the engine is running as you said, and whenever you get the degree wheel set up you can figure out exactly where your present timing is, compared to where you want it to be (28 degrees before top dead center when turning the crankshaft in the normal counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the front).