The best way to prime the oil circuit is to drive the oil pump with an electric drill and a screwdriver tip. Run the oil pump until you get oil to the rocker arms. You can get the same result if you crank the engine long enough, but that gets the starter pretty hot and is not the best way to prime the system.
When you install the distributor after priming the oil system, make sure you have the initial timing set as close as you can get it: number 1 cylinder at TDC on compression, pointer aligned with the flywheel ball and the points just breaking.
If you can fill the carburetor with gasoline, that will help, but a few strokes of the fuel pump usually is sufficient to fill the carburetor. If I were there, I would pour a small amount of gasoline into the intake manifold, but I'm not there, so I'm reluctant to advise that step.
As a pre-start check list, check all your fuel and oil line connections for tightness; don't rely on memory or someone else's word on that. Make sure the radiator is full, and the fan belt is properly installed, although you can run the engine briefly without the cooling system. Check the distributor and spark plug wiring order. It isn't uncommon to get the wrong firing order.
Regardless of what you do for starting, make sure you have a working fire extinguisher handy, and watch for fuel and oil leaks when the engine starts. Both are common, regardless of how careful you are.
Hope this helps.
Harvester
