[blykins]

A lot of things affect how much total timing an engine likes....such things as chamber design, compression ratios, etc. On a CHI headed Cleveland, total timing of 28-30 degrees is not unheard of...

You won't really know how much total is perfect for your particular combo without sticking it on a dyno, but if you stick it there, you'll be pretty stinkin close.

I've ran 18-20 degrees initial on some FE's, and it's not a problem if you have the starter to flip her over.

The beauty of the MSD is that you can change the curves pretty quickly. I would look at MSD's charts, aim for around a 2800 "all-in" rpm, then experiment from there. The reason I said that you won't really know what's best for you unless you stick it on a dyno is because a Cobra is so quick anyway that you probably won't be able to tell a 15-20hp bump by the seat of your pants. However, it never hurts to try different things.