New 383 wont fire

VERY easy to set timing so that it will fire right up assuming nothing else is wrong
Pull the no1 plug, stick your finger in the hole, and bump the engine until you START to feel compression. You may have to "go round" once to get the feel

When you START to feel compression, use a socket on the front bolt, and slowly bring the marks up NOT to TDC, but "where you want" initial timing.

Depending on the cam, this can be 15--20*. If your balancer is not degreed, you can estimate that from the marks.

Now look under the cap, to where the rotor is pointing. THIS IS your no1 starting point. Swing the dist. housing so that you have some movement either way, IE the vacuum can is not jammed up against the valve cover etc

So with the dist. case "in the middle" of movement, bring the dist. RETARD (ccw on big block) and then BACK towards advance, slowly, until the reluctor wheel is centered in the pickup coil

You want the dist. snugged down so you can still move it, but not easily. Now, set the cap on/ off to tell where the rotor points, and plug no1 into that hole. Just go CCW around the cap.