It was easy to adjust the timing on my VW powered sandrail. The straight exhaust was plenty loud to let you know when it was just right. The crank pulley with the degrees marked all around it was just for decoration.
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It is also an asset to have the calibrated nose to know if the air-cooled VW was running hot. I trained my daughters to recognize the normal engine smell and recognize if it smelled hot, then to slow down and of course, tell Dad. Another good indication was if the dipstick was too hot to check the oil after a run then it was either being run too fast or there was too much advance.