Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:30 am by PaulH
When you start removing parts, keep them in order - #1 lifter, push rod, rocker arm, etc. There are exhaust valve rotators, little caps on top of the exhaust valves. Don't lose them, and especially don't drop them down a hole into the crankcase. Again, keep them in order for re-installation. After the head is removed, I'd suggest turning the crank so piston #1 is at top dead center on the compression stroke. (see that the distributor rotor is pointed at the #1 wire on the cap) and then with a scribe, paint, etc., mark a line on the bottom front of the crank pulley as 1/6. I'd do the same for 5/2 and 3/4, in other words, putting timing marks on the the crank pulley. Will help in the future when you're under there turning the crank to try to find TDC for a cylinder.
After you've installed the gasket and reinstalled the head and valve train, with piston #1 on TDC on the compression stroke, use a feeler gauge and set the exhaust (valve 1) and intake (valve 2) valves on that cylinder. The specs are for .018 to .020, "engine hot and idling". So allow a couple thousands extra since it's cold. You can also adjust valves 3, 5, 7 and 9 at that point. Then turn the crank one complete revolution and set valves 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, and 12. That should have you ready to fire it up. After any re-torquing of the head bolts, and when at least hot, if not idling, re-check and re-adjust the valves.