Are you saying that your balancer is marked for a passenger side pointer?
How do you know it hadn't moved if you can't time it?
Here's the best way to time it, in your circumstance:
Hook up your new vacuum gauge, and start it. Turn the distributor, however you need to, so the you get the highest reading on your vacuum gauge, then retard it until the reading on the gauge goes down 1/2" (half a number). Tighten down the distributor, put away the vacuum gauge, and test drive it.
Let's continue this via email.
pkrwuds@pacbell.net