What needles to improve performance?

I have a 3.8 E type engine with two HD8 carburetors with a new Mallory dual point distributor in my XK140. The engine and carbs have been rebuilt and the engine starts and runs smoothly, but it seems to be ‘heavy’, i.e…, not enough pep. Can the experts here give me some ideas about timing, needles, dwell etc that will improve the performance?