OK, here's the latest.

I want to answer Gene question in his last post.

I have an MSD pro billet distributor with no more than 300 miles on it connected with an MSD 6AL box. I believe I have the rev limiter set to 6700.

A best friend has been helping me to try and get the issue figured out. The distributor was waaaaay off. It required pulling the pump shaft, gear and resetting it to TDC and then re wiring all of the spark plug wire to the distributor. Once this was done I added some initial advance to the distributor and it started right up, though choppy. I added additional timing and it was starting to run GREAT again when suddenly there was a bad noise from passenger side. Sounds like an exhaust leak or perhaps a lifter knocking. It was not there on first start up. Came at second one when timing was added and it was running better.

Car has better oil pressure than ever with Mopar oil pump and new hardened oil pump shaft.

Current plans are to order new plug wires as one I have on now are cracked at boots and likely arching. Will order new Firecores this week. Do any of you know if there premade ones for a 440 fit a B body well without lots of extra length?

Will also order new Cloyes double roller and try and figure out how to install a replacement. Everything points to the chain jumping of gear tooth breaking as others have suggested.

AND will order new exhaust gaskets for my SuperComp 2" headers hoping it's just an exhaust leak and not a lifter or rod bearing... It's been a long couple of months...for a person with limited mechanic skills...

Any thoughts??? Best way to get to exhaust leak or lifter or rod bearing??

For what it's worth I recall hearing the noise thought no as pronounced in the past and it would go away not long after starting the car once the engine got warmed up.