Just getting stuck into me new car british racing green series 2, 1979. Apart from noisy tappets and a smokey exhaust on throttle.....first three cylinders (from the front) dont seem to be doing much. got the air filter opff the carbs and on throttle the piston on the rear carb is much more responsive and jumpy....checked piston damper oil looks like same amount in both carbs. Is this a sign of poor adjustment on my carbs , or the front three cylinder compression is down? Pic below

 

Carbies are out of adjustment or the front one may have a partially blocked main jet.
Suggest you get hold of a workshop manual and follow the tuning instructions.

 

Just did compression test number 6 at front has a dry compression reading of 25 psi, 75 wet, so looks like a valve issue for the front cylinder, not sucking any air in through the carby so will never be able to tune it im thinking.

 

head gasket time

 

That compression is not good.
As a last resort try adding 3 to 4 times the recommended upper cylinder lubricant to the fuel and give the engine a flogging down a freeway. It might be just carboned up valves which are causing the problem.
Another way is to do a leak down test by putting no 6 cylinder at top dead centre on the firing stroke, holding it there with a spanner on the crankshaft and injecting 60 to 80 PSI air via the plug hole. If it is a valve problem you will hear air escaping in the carby if an inlet valve or via the exhaust if it is an exhaust valve. Air getting past the piston will be heard via the oil filler cap.
BOBL (best of British luck.)