Take a digital photo of the distributor, with the cap removed and rotor in place, before removing anything further.
This gives a great visual reminder about how things were prior to taking things apart.
Make sure your timing marks are good so you can trust them.
Remove the spark plug from #1 cylinder.
Rotate crank in correct direction until pressure comes up in #1 cylinder.
You can detect pressure with your finger, or any number of tools you can make from an old, gutted, sparkplug.
Once you have pressure being built, and you are certain you are on the compression stroke, not exhaust, then stick a small dowl into #1 cylinder through the spark plug hole.
This dowl does not have to be stout, just stiff enough to not deflect easily.
I use a 1/8" wood dowl because it fits easily, does not jamb, but provided enough ridgidity to get the job done. Besides, none of the wood particles left behind will cause harm to the engine.
With the dowl inserted, and the piston still coming up to TDC, slowly rotate the crank until you find TDC. Not the rotor location makes sense and matches closely to what you had prior to work.
You will likely go past TDC on the first attempt...No big deal, just go around again, but pull the dowl out before going further so you don't drop it in, or mash it somehow.
This time as you come around to TDC pay close attention to your timing marks.
Like Brent said, stop at 30* BTDC and set things up.
This should get you started and running. Once running get the light and set things just right.
