Here's my issue with this approach. If they put 36* in the distributor, I'll guarantee his car will run like crap at idle and be really sluggish. He'll have ZERO initial advance because all the advance is buried in the distributor.
It's a two piece puzzle. A distributor machine has no idea what a particular engine would need for mechanical advance. A stone stock 318 might run on 6 initial and 30 mechanical. A nasty roller 340 would need something entirely different for advance curves but you'd get exactly the same thing if you asked for 36* total advance without additional info.
Figure out what the engine wants using a vacuum gauge. Remove the distributor. Tell the guy with the distributor machine that you have x* of initial and want a total of say 36* at the crank, all in by 2500. You might also tell them the idle RPM so you don't have mechanical advance leaking in at idle.
