Well after all that work she still wasn't running worth a hoot above idle.
Started re-checking everything. Valves lashed properly, checked the carb for vacuum leaks checked the distributor cap & wires for good connections, checked the spark plug wires twice to make sure they were in the correct spot (I marked them where they came from) - see a flaw in my thinking
Yes folks I didn't check to see if the plug wires were in the RIGHT order before marking. 1 & 2 were flipped. DOH!!! Stupid human tricks again.
She still wouldn't stay running for more than a few seconds. Start tapping the gas tank....hollow, hollow, hollow.... You have to be kidding! Empty 5 gallon mower gas can into tank. WooHoo!! I twisted the distributor till it sounded decent and tightened it down. Hell with the timing light I was going for a ride!
It's amazing how much better they do when you use the factory firing order.
A few laps around the development weren't enough so I got adventurous and grabbed my wallet and cell phone. Drove all the way to the local gas station to put 10 gallons in and then back home....2.5 miles round trip, maybe 3 if you count the neighborhood victory lap, but it still felt good , damn good.
Manual steering, bias ply tires and 4 something gears definitely made her feel like a truck.
Now I'm even more impressed! Cylinders 1, 3 and 4 had stuck valves or popped push rods - 0 compression. Cylinder 2 had the wrong plug wire. So she was running on 2.5 cylinders. That's impressive.