<VV> quick question

[Lon Anderson]

Hey guys,
I'm trying to diagnose a fellow's problem over the phone, so I'll tell you what he told me, and then what I think is wrong, and you guys "yea" or "nay" me.

1963 102/pg shows 56K on the odometer, Monza vert, new interior, carpet and door panels... the elderly owner just bought it and knows nothing about Corvairs (how do I find these guys??? Or how do THEY find me???)... engine starts fine but if you put your hand over the left carb it almost dies... put hand over the right carb and there is NO CHANGE... gas squirts from accellerator pump, and venturis get tip of finger wet with gas on right side carb, so it's not a fuel delivery problem... with engine running, remove any sparkplug wire on right side & you get either NO CHANGE or a slight INCREASE in RPM... left plug wires slow engine on removal...

I think his valves are mis-adjusted... he's had the car less than a month, bought from a car lot in VA... 
I've not seen it, but I need to know what I'm looking at if I go over and try to help... someone has been into it, but maybe didn't know what they were doing....
Thoughts? Opinions?
Thanks guys... he's recently widowed, and I think he bought the car hoping to meet people... I think he's a nice fella (mid 70s age-wise)... so I'm gonna do what I can. Am I on the right track?
He also mentioned an occassional backfire out the left carb (the one that's working)...
Thanks,
Lonzo in KY