Where is number one position on the cap of a 1984 Chevy 350?

Answer 1

Since the distributor could have been (and probably has been) removed sometime during the last 25 years, there is no possibly way that anyone in their right mind could guarantee that the distributor has NOT been removed and replaced. There is also no possible way that anyone could guarantee that when the distributor was replaced, it wasn't "clocked", meaning that it may not be set up exactly the same way it was when it rolled out of the assembly plant.

So...

Turn the engine BY HAND to the point that #1 is at TDC of the COMPRESSION stroke. Note that the #1 piston will be at TDC TWICE during as the rotor turns once.

There are several ways to determine top of the compression stroke:

remove the rocker cover and watch the valves,

remove a sparkplug and "feel" the compression as the piston comes to TDC,

whatever creative and unique method you discover that accurately determines that #1 is at the top of compression stroke.

WHEREVER THE ROTOR IS POINTING when the piston is at top of the compression stroke is the #1 plug.

However, you may want to get a shop manual and figure out where the rotor SHOULD be pointing. Typically, that's straight forward.