firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

Yes.

Find TDC on the vibration damper. Make sure that it's TDC and not 180° off. Or remove #1 spark plug and cover the hole with your finger. Crank then engine over with a remote starter and when you feel pressure building up, that is your compression stroke. Get the #1 piston to TDC.

Now look at the distributor and see where the rotor is pointing. Make that terminal on your distributor cap for #1 spark plug wire. Now follow the direction of distributor rotation around the other terminals on the distributor cap 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

As much as I thought this was a wacko idea, I spoke with Mrmopartech on the phone and he explained it to me again.

So I tried it. Took about 15 minutes and it started on half a turn.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP.

Also thanks for the idea of turning it 180 to free up the vacuum advance