Watching... I need some engine paint.

It is the same story everywhere...
I was talking with a Proctologist recently & he said that even he was short handed!

Longest journey start with single step...
How does the sheet metal look?

I have found them to rotate easily but not lift as you have.
Use a block of wood as a fulcrum and get a 4-5 foot pry bar & give 'er!
It will come right out.
Do not go gentle into that good distributor!

Sold the car last month, went to the Houston, TX area.

Did you ever switch starters?

If that is a senior car & a Delco distributor, parts are not hard to find.
Avoid using the rotor with the internal resistor, lots of info on this site.

Ebay apparently has re configured something as I have found it really hard lately to find anything useful :(
Until recently, you could search for "vintage" parts but that is now gone.
When I do a search, about 1/2 of the results do not even have a key word in the description!
My biggest problem are the D-bags & 3rd party sellers that list 3 pages of the same item.

Bet you meant bearing insert?

Sound like you Patient has a strong will to live!

You can always feel free to use my address when shipping Packards.
:)