You guys are always a wealth of knowledge. Cab the distributor is locked at 35 degrees . the distributor has always been locked out. I know its tough on the starter . That was another reason for thinking of a 16volt battery
On that deal I would spin the motor on the starter first and then turn on ignition with the crank spinning to help stop the kicking back.
I had Hemi motor kick back against the starter years ago at the old Fremont Drag Strip northeast of San Jose,CA on the south end of the Oakland San Franscico Bay, it broke the nose off that stock starter
It was a real chore to change it on the ground with limited tools and space, 1970 Cuda with a set of early Hooker race Hemi chassis headers
