Well, you can degree the cams to either exact factory cam specs or to the recommended cam centerline that comes with your Crane or Crower cams on the specification sheet.

Quite easy really, if you have the tools, condensed short version. Find #1 piston TDC ,( dial indictor with long probe thru the spark plug hole)........... install degree wheel on the crank snout, rig a pointer to point to 0 TDC on degree wheel.

(I have found the factory timing mark for the lower timing gear to be off a bit on some motors).

Place dial indicator with probe on top of valve retainer. ( must take off valve cover for that one)

Rotate clockwise to get to where maximum valve lift occurs ( intake or exhaust ) and see where that falls (how many degrees from 0 TDC) on the degree wheel.

Check against the cam specs for your cams ( Stock specs or aftermarket cam sheet).

For instance if your maximum valve lift occurs at 110 degrees and the spec sheet calls for 108 centerline , you have to retard the cam 1 degree on the cam gear sprocket (two crankshaft degrees) to get it to spec.

If this it confusing,(I tried to make it short), I might be able to dig up some pics to explain better.