Need help

[Klassen kustoms]

So normally I can get this stuff right away and not have much issue but this truck is just stumping me!
It’s an 80 stepside with a 305 i got off a buddy for 350$... I couldn’t say no!

When I got the truck it ran rough but still ran ( almost acted like weak spark ) but it had a massive leak out of the intake manifold... well I got all that fixed, at the time I was 90% sure I put the engine to tdc .. the previous owners were not very smart with that truck so it doesn’t have any timing marks anywhere or a timing pointer

Well fast forward and I get it all back together .. first time it was 180 out so I fixed that and it still won’t start ... I’ve tried new plugs, a different ground cable ( off a running truck ), a different cap, and it’s gotten better... now it’s shooting a bit of fire out the exhaust and huffing a bit of smoke here and there out the tailpipe ... but still nothing and the spark is still orange

Could it be out of timing ? I’ve messed with it a lot trying to get it right
Or could it be the distributor ?