rough idle

Slant six had been working really fine, but lately it idles ok and then it starts coughing and idling really unevenly. Changed sparkplug wires and keeps doing the same, the carb was cleaned recently..sparkplugs or some other electronic component that may be causing the problem?
What gets my attention is that this does not happen all the time, one day works just fine and the next it becomes a smoking nightmare!
Author: joe six