There is no particular #1 position on the distributor itself. You can make it any one you want to, provided that the distributor rotation and related firing order is followed.
In the diagrams in the Chrysler factory service manual (and others), you can reference the firing order by the position of the vac advance unit on the distributor, as it came from the factory that way. No real magic there, BUT with the vac advance, that can need to have a particular orientation so the distributor can be rotated enough to get the basic timing functions to be where they are or need to be.c
In your term "hei" are you meaning and electronic ignition distributor (as Chrysler used) or are you terming "HEI" as the General Motors-style electronic ignition distributor. BIG differences, there! The GM (coil in cap) distributor only needs a solid 12V wire going to it, no ballast resistors anywhere in that voltage supply circuit. The coil needs to be grounded to the distributor case and then the case grounds to the block when installed. The Chrysler-style unit is definitely different from that! External control modules and all of that.
There ARE some HEI-style distributors from DUI for non-GM applications. Just as there are some videos which illustrate how to use the GM HEI ignition module (internal to the GM HEI distributor) externally in place of other (Chrysler and Ford) ignition modules, too. Dead Dodge Garage YouTube has one video on that.
Knowing your ignition system style and which engine is all of this mounted onto, can be important.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
CBODY67