sbc wont start-am i missing something

[lowlyfec10]

swapped a 86 350 in with new plugs, brand new edelbrock 600 with new filters and hoses. already had hei swap and ran with old motor and changed nothing but replaced the wire for the hei connector (previous owner hacked up wiring). i checked for spark last night and saw spark...not today (maybe bad contact or too bright to see?) but im going to retry once it gets dark again. i know i have fuel, brand new strong optima battery with new battery cables. only thing is i dont have the front end on the truck so the rest of the harness is loose and unattached. is there something im missing? i just wanted to hear this motor run for a second before i throw everything back together.

and when i put the distributor back in, the rotor faces the #1 coil roughly at the 0degree mark on the crank, and i put the wires on in order. so if i recheck when its dark and have spark, next step?