Should I even post this~?~
Embarrassing~!~
Took it to the shop yesterday and they went completely through it and retimed it (by this time I had the cams out again)
Anyway, they could not start it because of a sensor issue...
Got home and hooked everything back up (sensor and all) and the noise was still there...tracked it down to failing to put in the header gasket
I know the exhaust sounds different than the valves do, but hearing this clacking noise when I first started it up the first time was enough for a quick shut down and the first thing I thought of was the valves hitting, better be safe than sorry~!~
Turns out we had it timed right to begin with