So very stuck...
If you pull the entire distributor out and look in the hole, you'll see the intermediate shaft. It connects the cam to the oil pump and it drives the distributor.
The shaft can be rotated one tooth at a time to change the orientation of the rotor. For example, you could back it out, rotate it towards the driver's side, drop it back in and your rotor will end up pointing more towards the #1 cylinder. (It rotates some as the gears engage). It would also give you more space to adjust your distributor without the vacuum advance hitting the firewall. But, if you move it you may have to rotate the plug wires one tower around the cap to keep the rotor and cap contacts aligned.
Not absolutely necessary unless you have to gain more clearance, or just want your rotor pointed differently.
If you pull the entire distributor out and look in the hole, you'll see the intermediate shaft. It connects the cam to the oil pump and it drives the distributor.
The shaft can be rotated one tooth at a time to change the orientation of the rotor. For example, you could back it out, rotate it towards the driver's side, drop it back in and your rotor will end up pointing more towards the #1 cylinder. (It rotates some as the gears engage). It would also give you more space to adjust your distributor without the vacuum advance hitting the firewall. But, if you move it you may have to rotate the plug wires one tower around the cap to keep the rotor and cap contacts aligned.
Not absolutely necessary unless you have to gain more clearance, or just want your rotor pointed differently.