The first thing to do is, verify your number 1 cylinder is on TDC by the position of the valves both being closed and piston is at the top on the stroke. If you cannot see the timing mark, and the rotor is not pointing to number 1 you have an issue. If the pointer is pointing to number 1 on the distributor, you are good here, if you cannot see the timing mark, your harmonic balancer has most likely spun on you, and you timing marks are off. You will need to make your own, so you can set the timing. You can use a piece of bent wire coat hanger, if the factory stamped metal timing marker is missing, or, if you have a small piece of sheet metal, you can get a bit more fancy and replicate what was there. With a chisel, put a heavy dent in to correspond where your TDC mark will be, as your engine is still, or should be now at TDC.or 0 degrees and bolt this new pointer to your timing cover. This will now give you a place to set your timing from. All the other advice you were given was also very good too, especially the part about the compression check, and carb rebuild. It seems to me, when some one decides to go deep into an engine, and cant even get the plug wires back on right, that is cause to worry about other things they might have done inside too.