LA360 initial timing too high - are there different timing covers?

Looks wonky to me.
But if at least the intake is right , then it is as nm9 said, a 277* cam. And I'd guess probably 110 LSA cam in at 108.5.
That is way more than A bit of a cam, and should in no wise pull 19" of vacuum at typical idle-rpms of 750ish.
And the 67* ABDC intake closing angle will drive the Dcr right into the basement, unless you have decent static. That cam wants 10.5Scr,to get 165psi, at the 67*ICA.
With 8/1 Scr, the Dcr would come in at 6.3 and 117 psi cranking cylinder pressure. And you would need a great-big-'ol TC to get off the line, and 3.91s to
keep moving
So I say wonky cuz things don't seem to be adding up. Starting with the 19" of vacuum.

Going back to post#16: what you can do is pull the intake off, put the #1 cylinder at TDC overlap, and lay a short straightedge across the lifter bodies. I think this is what nm9 was talking about,sorta,lol.Rotate the crank back and forth a few degrees,until all four edges of the two #1 lifters are touching the straightedge. Then read the previously proven balancer. It should be BTDC, and within about 4 to maybe as far as 8 degrees.This will run, and run well.

I'm gonna guess the exhaust duration on that cam should be close to 8 degrees bigger than the intake. That would make it 285*. Doing the math on that and assuming a 110LSA I get an exhaust closing point of 34* ATDC. Couple that to your 30 from the degree wheel for a total overlap of 64*. Straight up would be half way between those two or 32*. Since you are at 30* on the intake, your balancer should read 2 degrees at split overlap , and I make it to be advanced. Remember I guessed at the exhaust duration and LSA and ICL,lol. But when you measure the split overlap, the guessing will be over.
Alternatively, you will need to recheck the whole caboodle with the lifters pumped up, or solids swapped in, and checking springs on the valves.Then the guessing will also be over.
Well except for the wonky 19" vacuum reading.But then again, if the ignition idle-timing reading really was 50* advanced, maybe 19" is possible;IDK, I've never tried that,lol.
And after all that, if the split overlap comes in OK, then a compression test will help clear things up.There is a HUGE performance difference from 117psi to 165 psi. And a large difference in ignition timing requirements as well.

Thanks AJ - For clarification I could not get the idle to stabilize at 750, in that range it would sputter and die. Idle smooths out around 900-950 range, but even there would die moved from Park to a gear. I dropped my compression gauge, so I don't trust it. I'll pick up another this evening and take some measurements. If I go as far as pulling the intake, wouldn't be best to just pull the cam and read the stampings (they should be on the end that engauges the disty - correct?) - or does meassuring the overlap give something that I'm not understanding? Thanks