Reply to "Flat tappet camshaft installation, suggestions for avoiding wiped lobes?"

Set the engine near top dead center on cylinder number one, at the top of the compression stroke/beginning of the power stroke. Using the timing marks on the crankshaft damper and the timing pointer, dial-in the crank position for "X" degrees before top dead center, "X" being whatever your initial timing spec is.

Assuming the car is equipped with a breakerless ignition:

Set the distributor so the rotor is pointing at the cap terminal for cylinder number one; and so that the "tooth" on the armature is "precisely" aligned with the metal core of the magnetic pick-up. The armature tooth and the core of the mag pick-up are shaped the same, tall and thin, its easy to judge when the are aligned. Lock the distributor down in that position.

I've always had good luck setting it this way.