There's a pretty foolproof way to get the ignition timing within a degree or two of the right setting without starting the engine. It's called "static timing" and it involves aligning the timing pointer and ball in the bellhousing window and turning the distributor housing until the points just barely break. A similar procedure can be used to assure the valve adjustments are correct, so there shouldn't be any reason to tinker with valve adjustment or ignition timing until after the initial break-in run of the camshaft is done- - - -15-20 minutes of fast idle, somewhere around 2K RPM. The closer you can come to "right" timing and valve adjustment before startup, the simpler it will be to get the break in run completed without having to idle the engine. I also keep a garden hose handy to trickle over the radiator and help keep things cool. If you search for my posts on "companion cylinder valve adjustment" and "static ignition timing" on the forum, you should be able to copy and print both procedures for future reference. Good luck!
Jerry

"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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