Why is distributor pointing away from #1 on TDC?

396Cuda said

Surefire method is to pull #1 spark plug. Bump engine until you hear/feel pressure and set to this TDC. If rotor is still pointing to #6 then you dropped in the distributor 180 degrees out. Just pull it up, rotate the shaft 180 degrees and drop again.

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^^THIS^^ or if you have the valve covers off bring the marks up to TDC and examine the no1 and no6 valves. Whichever pair is closed is ready to fire. To set timing accurately, do NOT stop at TDC. After you determine which cylinder is ready to fire (on compression) back up the engine and rotate CW until the marks are WHERE YOU WANT THE TIMING TO BE (fire.) Say, 15BTC. Now, set up the dist. so the rotor is coming TO the no1 tower. If you have breaker points, rotate the dist. CW (retard) and then advance it slowly ---with a continuity tester-- until the points just open. If you have breakerless, rotate the dist until the reluctor is in the middle of the pickup. You can check timing with a light "on the starter" but you should not need to.

There is NEVER any reason to eff around with backfire and popping and failure to fire a new engine. Get it ready. And start it up