[Jeff R 1]

Even if he's 180 degrees out and number one is up on exhaust, the timing marks will still be there.
Someone may have sanded the timing marks off in an attempt to do a really good job cleaning and polishing the crankshaft damper.

There is quite a bit of rust on it, I think by the time you cleaned it, the timing marks went with it.
Once you get TDC, use an adjustable timing light.

There are ways to get TDC exactly.

 

[Jeff R 1]

Rust was sprayed with wd40 left to soak wiped with a cloth and gently sanded with 1000 grit wet and dry. Deeper scratches were already present. However I'd love to know how anyone could possibly get a power tool in there when I struggled just to get my hand in. It was cleaned as gently as possible in many stages. However believe damage had already been done previously.

There are all sorts of fancy attachments and extensions on a Dremel tool that will get in there.
Using a straw and rocking the engine back and forth to find TDC, is not very accurate.

Finally found a video using a piston stop.
He doesn't get to to the point until about the 4 minute mark, but there are some precautionary things in there so it I would watch the whole thing.

How to use a piston stop for accurate timing marks - YouTube

 

[Jeff R 1]

Could be just a coincidence, but you may want to check the advanced weights, the disruption of the distributor coming loose, may have disturbed some dirt and surface on them.
If they have become sticky that would cause poor starting and running, and when you move the whole distributor it temporarily correct the problem when it's moved, depending on when you need to start it or have it running smooth.

 

[Jeff R 1]

What electronic unit was installed, I'm not a big fan of those aftermarket things, Pertronix or Lumenition ?
I'm not saying that is causing problems now, I'm just curious.

From what it looks like, very little maintenance was performed on the car, it's amazing that it ran as well as it did.
All things considering, it's doing quite well.
That's a pet peeve of mine, eg SU fuel pumps, they literally work for 50 years and when they fail, people complain how shitty they are.
I'm not saying you're like that, but British cars get a bad rap from owners that don't look after their cars.

When was the last time the oil in the damper tubes was checked ?
Fuel filters ?
The other thing here too that happens, is once you start servicing the carburetors, brittle vacuum lines and dirty electrical connections get disturbed and everything goes to hell.
It's sort of a catch-22, if you do nothing, it may run for many years, or it may be on the verge of failing and if you service it, you may open up a can of worms.

If you get into the carbs, take lot's of photos of where things go, there are numerous posts here of people asking where vacuum lines went and "where do I plug this in" ?

 

[Jeff R 1]

You're putting words in my mouth, I am not judging you, I based what I said from other posters in the entire forum.

Don't take this the wrong way, anyone who can't find where they're timing marks are or figure out how to create there own, sounds like he may need help in what I said in post #29.
I'm a perfectionist, I would use the "stop cylinder" method, not a straw.

 

[Jeff R 1]

Well finally fitted all new plugs and leads. 2 plugs were suspect. Running a little better but still not right. Found t.d.c with use of a piston stop and was able to make out very faint marks on pulley for t.d.c and 5 degrees. When rpm is increased there is hardly any movement when viewed with strobe light. Going to take distributor off tomorrow and overhaul. Do not think weights are doing there job.

Taking the distributor apart, cleaning and putting it back together is not really an over-haul.
Send it here and it will be done properly.
He will have a proper machine to test it and replace parts if need be.

For a quick fix, put some Tri-Flow down the shaft when the rotor is removed, that's the most common problem is that shaft is dry and sticky, but still best to send it off.
Work it back and forth and it should be moving freely against the bob weight springs.

Reconditioned Lucas distributors, rebuilt Lucas distributors, recurved Lucas distributors from Distributor Doctor