Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. It's taken awhile to resolve this since this old Dodge is parked in my storage unit 20 miles away, hence, isn't exactly convenient to work on. That being said, I finally got things reassembled today for a test start and after a couple pumps of the throttle, it started right up and ran smoother than it ever has before even touching ignition timing! I have some details to button up (ignition timing, wire routing, another valve adjustment, valve cover grommets for the replacement valve cover, etc) but getting this cam thing sorted was monumental and I learned an enormous amount. Thanks much!
PS - To SlantSixDan, who recommended reading the book "Truck": I'm half way through it and it is a joy to read. Before long, this old iron is going to be scarce for gearheads to work on and so reading a man's novel account of doing so is a lot of fun. My last project vehicle was a 1962 Beetle, so I appreciate the simplicity and character of this old stuff.
PS - Here's a picture of the running engine. You have to hold it up to your ear to hear, but it is idling on its own!
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