[macdonge]

GordonC... It's important to recognize that the crankshaft (drive) and camshaft (driven) gears are helical. The 8BA flatheads had an opposite gear angle than the earlier (e.g. 59A) versions which were designed to thrust the cam into the timing cover. If your gears are indeed reversed, it becomes all the more important to get them off and oriented properly (from both the thrust & timing perspective). And, yes, you'll need to sort out your valve and valve spring setup while at it. Hang in there. All will become clear soon!