Craig the carbs shouldn't flood after the engine is shut down. If they both do it, then it's excessive fuel pressure. If you have a mechanical pump, you must use the phenolic spacer between the pump and the block, or the pressure will be too high.
Set the jets, you have set the floats, don't fuss with the carbs any more. Just get the fuel pressure down. If the idle won't drop below 1000, do you know because it stalls, or just won't go any further with the idle screws backed out? If the screws are backed out and that's it, then you have a large air leak in the intake someplace.
The distributor must advance, and keep the vacuum unit disconnected for sure. The weights must be hanging up someplace - remove the distributor (easy) and lift off the breaker plate (easy) and check. Its possible that the weights are already maxed out when you put the light on. You'll have to get it to idle, and ensure the weights are pulled in at idle.
Don't get discouraged. If it was easy, anybody could do it. We do it because we have skills.
Rhys