78 cutlass W-31 build

Ok so where do I start. Mark came by last Thursday we set it up with my degree wheel and my dial indicator on number one TDC with the marks aligned 12 and 12 we then tried 6 and 12 just for ha ha's we also had his very fancy dial indicator on #1 intake lifter. Mark is a pretty serious guy so he was kinda quite and doing all the math in his head. Then he got a little puzzled and said out loud wait! What!? He then got out his phone to use as a calculator. That puzzled him even more then came the scrap paper and the pen. And back to the ratchet on the crank And then he leaned up and said WTF!? As he stared at it and regained his place in reality he said I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this motor needs to come back out! Something is manufactured wrong or multiple things. He said my intake valve is on its way open when my #1 piston is at TDC exhaust. And no sir that is incorrect. So I immediately tried to contact EJ because he borrowed my engine hoist a year ago. Well he couldn't help me get it here so I didn't have it all weekend. I did what I could but it rained quite a bit this weekend and by the way Lauren's birthday dinner so that was a thing she's 17 and the car ain't dun ... Man I suck! Anyway she got lobster Mac and cheese instead of a cutlass and still doesn't know I doing it for her. Here it is Monday night her birthday and she's out with her friends being a 17 year old girl and I'm here taking the motor back out of the car. With my truck down I ordered a trailer hitch for Janet's Subaru so i can bring the motor to Ericson machine and performance to let him figured it out. Mark ish actually intrigued and wants to know what is actually wrong with it and he's not a body man so I'm going back down that road 35 Chevy old gasser and 56 Chevy pickup. I don't care what he wants me to do as long as my sh*t runs lol well I gotta get back at it I've got a mess outside and the engine hoist is finally here EJ dropped it off while I was at work today.
 
So would it be safe to say the issue is rooted in the cam?
Cam, crank, or timing set. It's out of the car sitting on my little trailer all tarped up waiting to go to mark. I've actually gotten a lot done in the last 4 days. You see I had a difference of opinion at work and walked out with choice words last Wednesday. I gave the Impala back to my coworker and walked out. The secretary gave me a ride home and I used the next 4 days to get this hole vehicle situation under control. Now it's Monday and I'm heading in for a meeting with the higher ups to renegotiate my position and if it doesn't go well I've got offers on the table. In fact I really need to call and cancel an interview with one for my meeting. This is going to be the first time on the highway with the (repaired) Duramax so wish me luck.
 
Lauren and I dropped of the engine and stand at Ericson machine and performance tonight after work. Didn't do it last night because of the rain thunder and lightning. Anyway accidently oiled down marks driveway. I don't know why I always forget to drain oil but I do. I usually remember when I'm removing oil pans and where it. In other news I went back to work so the study income is back on track but the property where the 87 cutlass is and my car trailer and my blasting rig has been sold. I've got time on the stuff in the building but this weekend all items outside must go. Apparently there's going to be an inspection of the property so I'm out. It's all good though if the rig is home I'll start blasting small jobs here at the house. Anyway mark wants me to come by this weekend with Lauren and we will figure out this olds motor once and for all! Poor Lauren's been waiting for it long enough.
 
Hope you get her sorted out once and for all, good luck!
Mark is a really good guy and he knows what he's doing in a machine shop. He's actually doing it just to figure it out he's intrigued by the problem. His bread and butter is actually small 2 stroke engines like in jet skies stuff like that he has a Utube channel you can check out stuff he builds like jet skies doing backflips lol he's had a few race cars like a couple 3rd gen F-Body and a Vega. His channel is
 
Well here we go gotta start somewhere.
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Let's just see where we are at the end of the night.
 

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