Unusual Hemi Timing Setting....

That will get you to a few degrees but not real accurate. There is a lot of duration at TDC and that is why you have to go both ways to find the center of TDC.
....and of course you were exactly right. We were 35 degrees off. That's when I just grabbed the distributor and twisted it until it ran right and bam there was the correct timing mark in the light. So just goes to show how important using a piston stop really is. I know that of course, but just could not find mine. Naturally I found it the next day. LOL