Turn the engine to the TDC marks on the compression stroke. Just in case you don't know which one is the compression stroke, remove the spark plugs, put your left forefinger in the #1 spark plug hole (as you face the engine, it's the first one on the passenger side) and turn the engine by hand until you feel air coming out of the hole as you approach the TDC timing marks. Stop on TDC. Remove the distributor cap and see where the rotor points. It should point straight back to the firewall at about where the center-line of the engine intersects the firewall.

Once that's set correctly, you need to set the ignition timing by the following procedure:

* Find the covered dead-end connector under the wiper motor.

* Remove the cap - inside you will see a pin. Using small alligator clips, ground the pin to the engine block.

* Start the engine and set the ignition advance to 5? BTDC (at idle).

* Remove the ground clip and watch the timing advance - it should jump to about 15-17? BTDC.

That should get you going. If not, you may have a spun harmonic balancer. If so, replace the harmonic balancer.

Edited to correct the stated #1 location.

Frank