Rick,
I recommend replacing that advance plate. Usually there is a
spring steel shim above the little ball bearings, with time
and age they were grooves into the plate as you describe.
This MAY cause the plate to stick a little, but you could check
that with a mighty vac hand held vacuum pump, and observe
the plate rotate back and forth.
When Rising SUn had their clearance sale a few years back
I bought up four of those plates, at something like $20
each. I am sure some parts suppliers still have some
around.
Early advance plates use SAE fine three screws, later
plates used metric thread. Either will fit an early
or late model distributor (been a long time, but I
think that is true).
The distributor should be pulled apart, cleaned, and
regreased every couple of years. I have yet to see
tat however (except my own roadsters. ;-).
Cheers,
Tom
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