timing set oddities comp 2130 and 3130

I messed up and ordered a comp 2130 instead of the 2122. so be it, I figured I would advance it and make it a straight up kit. I did so and it degreed in advanced from a straight up position. I moved it back to the "0" mark and it came in at 106.5 center line on a shelf grind that was 106.0. so I checked the intake lift at 0.006 and it was 28 degrees as it should have been according to the cam card.

this is marked as a 1972 and up set so I assumed it should have been retarded. I looked at the marks and the key way and timing marks for the 0 were all straight up and under its tooth. the cam gear mark was under its tooth. in other words it looks like a straight up set should look.

for comparison I have an A460 gear set and it matches it.

I also have a 3130 gear set. this is a retarded set. but the odd thing here is the cam gear is where the retard is set. the mark is in a valley between two teeth and the crank gear looks like a straight up set. if you mock it up you can definitely see that the rolling the cam gear back to line up its marks will retard the cam effects.

In the end, all of this is no matter since degreeing the cam in makes it right regardless. but it appears I had a straight up set placed in a retard timing set box. and it looks like at some point in time comp has put the retard in the cam gear and not all in the crank gear.

I guess this is why you degree in a cam. even if it is a small street build.

Comp doesn't make their gear sets , they buy them and repackage them. So what you are getting is from Melling , Dyna Gear , Pioneer , etc.