[JM 35 Sedan]

Congratulations on becoming a Flathead Ford V8er at 80! I have a friend who is 90+ years young and he is just about finished putting his '35 standard RS 5w coupe back together. He kept telling us he didn't think he would get it done especially after having brain surgery. I think the project gave him a reason to keep going.
I can't tell you much on the 8ba distributor questions.
You can buy good reproduction water pumps from many of the Ford parts suppliers but I personally prefer to send good original cores to Skip Haney and let him rebuild them. I prefer to have an American made part rebuilt in America keeping an American employed.
That valve tool (bar?) can be purchased at Mac's Antique Auto Parts as well as many other Ford V8 parts suppliers.