anyone know of an alternative to MSD cap

Well ..you can draw a mark inline with every terminal on the distributor housing...then fiddle the rotor, but the cap is much easier to move.
kinda what I did, though you only need #1 cylinder.Set engine to tdc firing..Rotate base with phased rotor at zero ,line up the rotor tip with the the mark on the housing.lock the housing and phase the rotor.