Yes the distributor, cylinders 7 and 8, oil pressure sender port, bell housing mounting surface, oil filter mounting boss, original starter mount, the large casting numbers with the clock mark, are all at the rear of the block on small and big block Chevy's.
Paul, you have fired the first volley! LOL
With all due respect to your grandfather who owned a
Ford dealership!
The distributor is driven by the cam, and the bottom of the distributor shaft drives the oil pump. Chevy put the oil pump and pickup at the rear of the oil pan. Which way does the oil move when you accelerate. To the rear, which is where the pump is, where it should be. I know you have seen those funky double sump Ford pans, or the sumps on the front of the pan. Chevy V8 oiling design is second to none. I give you that the distributor is harder to get to, but not on a boat.