Gary, I have to admit, I haven't been paying too much attention to your
progress on the Chris Craft.

However, having had a '59 with twin 283 chev. engines, I know they can be
configured to run right or left hand.. Mine didn't have direct driven water
pump.. Strangely they were mounted on the back of the Generator which was
belt driven.

If your gear water pump is driven off the cam shaft, distributor shaft then
my next question would be wheather you have changed the timing from gear to
chain or vice/versa. This would change the rotation of the water pump, cam,
distributor/oil pump.

But, then again, you say it "starts up and purred beautifully".

I can't see where changing the gears in the pump around would change it's
rotation.

Just my thoughts, FWIW.

Steve