carb, start, MPH, etc

I have been posting off and on about my carb troubles. I had decided I need to buy a new one when I can. Today something different happened.

I tried to start first thing while it was in the shade and cold and hasn't been started in over 7 days. No start and I didn't have starter fluid or my gas can handy. I took the other rig did the shopping and planned on getting the lumber later. A few hours later I went out with the new can of starter fluid which I had picked up doing the errands. I tried the key before popping the hood and it started right up. The only diff is now the engine bay has been in the sun for more than an hour.
This makes me think the gas is not vaporizing when it is cold. I have also mentioned previously that when I remove the carb there is a gas puddle in the intake. I'm pretty sure this means a new carb for more reasons that this story indicates.* I don't know that I am asking for help, I'm not sure anything but a new carb will help, it just seems to me that I won't be the only guy having this sort of issue so I'm posting about it.
I have added a fuel regulator and still have a manual pump which is very new. When I get the new carb if it still has MPH issues I will then attempt the elec pump which is intimidating me for reasons I cannot define.

*When I first got this thing it started in any weather no problems. It had poor mileage but it was at least strong and started easy. Then I rebuilt the carb based on what I remember of doing it to my motorcycle, I had never done a car. It never ran as easy or well as it did before I "fixed" things :) Oh yea there was no gas puddle when I took it off that first time. Years later when pennyman1 was coaching me to rebuild it I found out I had very probably driven that idle adjust screw that is set first much too far into the carb doing it serious damage. It almost literally has no effect on the idle in the ways the instructions describe. I probably did other damage to the carb in that first try that I do not recall. Its at about 112K

That carb has major issues - not sure it can be resolved with a rebuild. Look for a used one on ebay and rebuild it.

+1 on that. Once you do mechanical damage to threads in the carb body, there's nothing you can do to repair it. Especially if it's a an air bleed or fuel mixture jet.

Thanks guys. I want to buy a new one just to avoid the possibility of prior damage.