Need help with new guy mistake.

Start simple first. Check spark on spark plug wire, if spark then check for gas at carb. If no spark then check for spark at coil wire. If spark there check rotor, if no spark then check for power on one side of coil and pulsing grd on other side. If no pulse then check points and switch. Those basic steps will tell you whats wrong. On another note, incorrectly gapped plugs can cause hard starting and poor running but would not normally cause no fire at all. Methinks you must have had a drivability issue to begin with so you replaced the plugs??? If you can't figure it out, most any "old garage mechanic" can look at it. Ask around, someone will know of an "old guy" who can fix it for you. Find an old grubby car repair shop to start asking at. Forget any dealership or too nice of a place. They just will have the "technicians" there, and thats NOT what you need. By the way, you heard what the man said when his horse died? "Never done that before"!
 
Is the other end plugged into the coil well? Not trying to be smart but sometime they will slide out. If OK then do some of the checks mentioned above.
 
Weaponsusmc said:
when holding coil wire to head bolt, no spark.
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That's good, now you know where to start. Start backtracking the voltage. Do you have 6 volts at the OPEN points contact? If no, go back to the coil terminals and you should have 6 volts at both terminals with the key off or with the points open. The key connects the ground side to the points, which when closed will ground one side of the coil, so you should then show 6 volts on one terminal and 0 volts on the other coil terminal.

Before checking voltage, I'd just try jumping the open points contacts with the blade of a screwdriver so see if the points are just dirty and need to be cleaned. Key on of course.
 
It could be that the spark plugs were too cold and the gap was wrong. I had problems with the motorcraft plugs being too cold and would flood easily. After trying to crank a flooded engine with weak spark, the six volt battery gets weak. A weak six volt battery won't have enough power to turn the starter and fire the plugs with enough spark to crank the engine.
 
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