COUNTERCLOCKWISE
Only if you change the drive gear. The gear is different on the 289/302/351W distributor. Outside of that it will work.
clockwise
Sounds like the timing is off or you have a bad distributor.
counter clockwise
unscrew the distributor pull it out about half way with the distributor cap off and turn the rotor clock wise to disired position
clockwise when you are looking at the distributor from the front of engine
if you're looking down at the distributor it rotates clockwise while running.
The way I tell the difference is the engine thermostat location : On the Cleveland it is mounted horizontally by the distributor and on the Windsor the thermostat is mounted vertically in the end of the intake manifold
When looking down on it: clockwise
counterclockwise
CCW.
Turn it to the opposite direction that the rotor rotates.