Re: towershaft/carb sticks?
Now you are getting difficult for me. It has been so long since I have worked on my 55 that it is difficult to remember.
If the magneto plate moves halfway back then gets difficult, it could be due to numerous causes. ONE would be that you are moving it to the cam and opening one set of points--normal. But, as I understand you, moving back would be in the direction of the flywheel rotation and should not cause a de acceleration problem.
However, you could also have a wire binding up, or even a magneto coil binding, so if all else in the system is normal, now is the time to pull the flywheel and check everything under it.
Look for rub marks on the inside of the flywheel and on the coil laminations. I doubt this is the problem, but check anyway. Look for any interference of the magnetos and mounting plate. You may have a longer screw sticking down, or if I remember correctly, the ground wire screw and nut may be causing interference. You should be able to check this wire without removing the flywheel.
Right now, that's all I have.