And a good set of wires and clean plugs. And keep the choke (remember those) adjusted properly. A problem that was often overlooked was the choke pull off. When cranking, you want the equivalent of 1/8 drill bit space on the choke plate as the motor cranks. If the choke pull off does not "pull back" the choke plate, you will flood the motor in no time.
If you kept a Holley 2245 clean and adjusted, it will run like a champ. Oh and the manifold crossover passage has to be clean. When above a certain temp, the electric choke assist does not kick in and the choke opens based on manifold temp.