I just replaced the heads on my 350 SBC and I do not have a timing light to get it timed properly. It starts up pretty easily and I was wondering if it would be safe to drive about a mile down the road to a local shop to get it timed, tuned, etc...

I thought about buying a timing light, but there are no numbers on my harmonic balancer to even see where it would be at... Also, I have no experience with a timing light.

I guess the quick question is, If I drive it down the road with improper timing can I damage anything?

 

I have set the timing by ear. You just time it so you get the highest idle speed. As long as you don't have popping from it being too advanced or bad flat spots due to it being retarded you will be fine.

 

Yes you will be fine to drive it down the road....

But you should look into getting a timing light and learning to do it yourself.
Shouldn't be any numbers on the harmonic balancer, if stock type. It will have one line engraved in it called a hash mark.

Your numbers will be on a tab welded to front of timing chain cover, or aftermarket tab bolted to cover with 2 timing cover bolts.

If you have no tab, you can buy a bolt on one for $5-8 and bolt it right up to engine.

Then when you shoot the light at harmonic balancer and tab you will see the line on balancer and it will look like it's staying still in one place, look at what number on tab the line is under...

 

You can also get a timing light with an adjustable dial or a digital one and set it to were you want your timing to be and than adjust your timing so the mark on your damper lines up with the 0 mark. I would also recommend getting a vacuum gage and learning how to use it to tune your car it will teach you a lot along with a timing light. If your going to do your own maintenance and performance work there are a few tools you should get and learn how to use. #1 a timing light, #2 a vacuum gage, #3 a feeler gage #4 a torque wrench and #5 a gage for checking compression these are more important than spending money on mods as they will save you money help you keep your cars running and tune them. As you get these tools and learn how to use them you will expand on the list but these are important and will teach you a lot about cars as you learn how to properly use them.