Hmmm...
I'm about to embark upon the, "timing quirk" tonight, as last night I finished my head rebuild, and got it on the block. Got the timing cover, oil pan, oil pump back together. Also, I don't believe that I saw an article requiring 3 hands to remount an oil pan (It took my 2 and a borrowed one).
I begged my wife to help me drop the head on the block last night. Her response, "Uh...No? That thing is heavy," as I daftly, err. deftly maneuvered the head over the block with my hands underneath. Then, ever so gently letting the head smash my hands betwixt itself and the block, before sliding them from between the two pieces of metal.

I don't remember it being quite so difficult to remove? It seems to have gained weight.
Now I'm reading insightfully stimulating literature on timing the Opel 1.9. Torquing, lifting, turning, stabbing...It sounds more like broadsword sparring movements in a Cateran Society discussion.
Even better, I get to time the engine with a new carb, with new jets from Racetep. I hope it is jetted OK. Then it goes to the muffler shop to weld-up my Monza piecemeal exhaust.