Distributor Installation 390
 

Setting TDC
When I went to install distributor I believe I had engine on TDC.
Number one piston was up. Both valves were closed and the timing mark was close to the TDC mark. When I put the distributor in the Rotor was not pointing to number one on cap it was about 180 degrees 0ff.

Can I leave distributor in this position and just start with number one wire at that point and then follow the firing order.

Distributor Installation 390
 

ok, the distributor rotor spins free when the distributor is out, so when the distributor is re installed you need to put the rotor where number one is on the cap..........
if the number one cylinder is at tdc, then all you need to do is install the distributor so the rotor is pointing at the number one contact in the cap.............if your looking at the distributor from a top view installing it straight down into the hole. the rotor would be pointing at about what would be 1 o clock.......roughly..
ofcourse dont forget when your putting the distributor in because of the way the gears mesh, the rotor may go to far and you have to lift the distributor up slightly and rotate the rotor back or forward a tooth.........
anyway, if you look at how the cap would sit on the distributor you'll notice number one on the cap is about where i said the rotor should be pointing, roughly one o clock.........you can change the wires to compensate for the dist rotor being way off, but it's not that hard to do it like your supposed to..........plus doing this ensures your vacccuum advance unit has room to move when your advancing and retarding the timing.........

Distributor Installation 390
 

Well, you could rewire the cap but some of your spark plug wires will be a little short or it's gonna look ugly snaking them to reach.