If the truck has a starter and battery and will crank do the following. Get your helper to operate the starter when you tell them to. Remove #1 spark plug. Put your finger or thumb over the hole sealing it off. Have your helper bump the starter around until your finger/thumb is pushed off the spark plug hole. Look to see where the BB is and if necessary use the fan/belt (key off) to move the crank one way or the other to put the BB on the pointer. You shouldn’t have to tweek it but maybe an inch or two. Now you have #1 at or very close to TDC on the compression stroke. Install your distributor and set the rotor to where you want #1 to be. Install plug wires following the firing order. No valve cover removal unless your a perfectionist. Good luck.

Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
“I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one!
Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop!
USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)