New distrubutor; "Lost" the timing mark on balancer

[slikside]

Hey all,

I have an all stock original 350 motor in my '72 with the TH350 auto transmission.

Recent issues with heavy moisture was causing problems with my old ignition...wires, points, etc... So I installed a new HEI distributor, new wires, and plugs gapped accordingly. Had never stabbed a distributor before....

So it fired right up and ran from the get go....well, after pushing the throttle for some gas and setting the choke. I had forgotten to do that in my excitement to start it. Once I did though, it fired and ran. No backfires, no sputtering/missing. IOW, it ran just as it should.

So I grab my timing light and.....no timing mark to be found! Just could not be seen anywhere near the timing tab with the light from the number 1 cylinder. I noticed when I pulled my old distributor, the timing mark was right at about 12 o'clock...kinda hard to see it under the water pump. It was just before the tab. The rotor was also just before the terminal for the number 1 cylinder on the distributor cap.

So when I installed the new distributor, I did so with the rotor approaching that same spot, and the vacuum advance can pointing in the same place as the old one. Had to use a long screwdriver several times to get the oil pump shaft to line up...but I got it fully seated, and then it ran as described.

I did notice though that the new distributor does not appear to be "clocked" properly. The battery and tack terminals are at 9 o'clock, rather than what I assume would look more natural at 6 o'clock.

Regardless (or maybe not), how could my timing mark be so far off, and the engine still runs as well as it does??

Do I need to "clock" the distributor in order to get my timing mark back?? Chancing my tail without it!

Thanks in advance for your guidance.