Its good you found somebody with a distributor machine, I would go the extra effort to construct yourself a sparkplug rack, install your plugs into the rack, pull the distr, pull the coil and put your entire system on the machine and fix it. You don't want your car and engine being involved in that process. You need to isolate the ignition system and fix all the problems with it - with the distr machine you can have your distr spinning and fireing thru your coil to your sparkplugs thru your plug wires, your car isn't even involved it can be miles away.
On your other 1904 with the new needle & seat not sealing, there is a small sealing washer that seals the needle & seat assembly - the 1904 has a screw that threads inside the inlet fitting, it threads from outside the carb thru the float bowl body and into the assembly that holds the needle & seat, there is a little fibre washer that seals the float assembly to the wall. If this washer is left out the fuel will enter the bowl with the needle & seat closed (satisfied).
Unless you are very familiar with these 1904s it is easy to leave that washer out.