distributor intermeadiate shaft?

no it does not matter....but you can take a large screw driver and turn it counter clockwise to get it align as you noted...

went you turn with screw driver...it will come up off the cam gear and allow you to move it....then with trial and error or a good guess you can get it in the correct spot....

but....it does not have to be there....just have to turn distributor to align #1 if it is not .....

counter clock wise..for small block
clock wise for big block...