C50 field rescue won’t start (YET!)

[Pick121]

Hi all, so I am finally working on the 1963 C50 that sat for over 20 years.
Short story is, it turns over but will not start up. It is a 283 V8 with conventional distributor. Here is what I have done so far:
Replaced Distrib cap, rotor, condenser, points (gapped to 0.19), spark plugs (gapped to 0.35), spark plug wires, all from Napa Auto Parts. I’m using a good battery from my C10. Also changed the oil and filter.
Gas is shooting out the jets into the Rochester 2G carb. Gas is clean, new, I installed a temporary tank directly to the fuel pump so as not to use old fouled gas.

Once it didn’t just fire right up like I thought it would! I put a inline spark tester, one that plugs in between the spark plug and the plug wire, no light comes on.

Anyway it got dark so I gave up for the night. Tomorrow I am trying my coil from the C10 to see if that is it or rule it out. After that maybe adjust the timing?
Any ideas would be great, thanks

[Pick121]

Another thought, i will test the spark light on the C10 to make sure it actually works. It is brand new out of the package but you never know

[Getter-Done]

Did you check for voltage going to the coil?

[Pick121]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

Did you check for voltage going to the coil?

I’ll try that. Just to confirm, am I checking the pos terminal on the coil with a multimeter for 12 volts coming in?

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Good advice and could be the Coil itself. If the Coil is good, it could possibly be an incorrectly installed Distributor.

[Pick121]

Thanks for the help, Got him going! Not sure exactly what it ended up being but thanks for the advice. I checked for power to coil, it was over 12 volts. I tried a new coil, no spark. Realized i had a couple plug wires in the wrong order, whoops! changed, still no spark. I also loosened the distrib bolt and rotated it slowly one way then another while cranking, to see if I ever got a light on the inline spark indicator but - no light, no spark. Here is where I get confused how exactly I fixed the issue because I did a few things:
1. Took distrib cap off, found TDC mark on front pulley, and the rotor was not pointing to my #1 plug wire on the distrib. Hmm. Rotated all the plug wires one spot clockwise.
2. Thought might as well check the points one more time, glad I did they were way too wide, feeler gauge had a lot of wiggle room so, readjusted.
3. Read somewhere else on line to make sure you have a good ground from cab to the block. I couldn’t find a ground strap from block to cab, so I removed the neg batt cable from the block and it was not good - paint and rust - so sanded/wire brushed the bolt, block, washer, nut, and wire connector.

So after doing these things, i move all my tools and it fires right up!! The Green Machine lives & breathes again is in his new home.
PS there are zero brakes, luckily only had to drive 100yds across the street and i went slow enough to use the hand brake (which is on the flywheel not the rear drums!)

[Steeveedee]

One tit off with the distributor could make it not start, but you would hear some popping. The battery connection was fine or you wouldn't have got it to turn over. Final diagnosis is, your points weren't closing.

[Pick121]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

One tit off with the distributor could make it not start, but you would hear some popping. The battery connection was fine or you wouldn't have got it to turn over. Final diagnosis is, your points weren't closing.

I concur with your assessment doctor! Thanks for reading the whole long story haha

[LT7A]

Cool! Any more work done? Plans? Looks like a well preserved find.

[Pick121]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Cool! Any more work done? Plans? Looks like a well preserved find.

LT7A you can watch the slooow progress on the Green Machine build page, link is below in my signature. It runs but still need to figure out the brakes and go from there!

Plan is to fully restore to as close to its original glory as I can, as cheaply as I can, but not 100% stock; small changes such as update the brake system to dual MC, relocate fuel tank to outside the cab, maybe a dump bed? It is in surprisingly good shape other than a few dents and bottom door corners rusted through (and no brakes!)

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Pick121

LT7A you can watch the slooow progress on the Green Machine build page, link is below in my signature. It runs but still need to figure out the brakes and go from there!

Plan is to fully restore to as close to its original glory as I can, as cheaply as I can, but not 100% stock; small changes such as update the brake system to dual MC, relocate fuel tank to outside the cab, maybe a dump bed? It is in surprisingly good shape other than a few dents and bottom door corners rusted through (and no brakes!)

Cool! Post a link if you get the chance. I opted out on showing people's signatures because I mostly look at this site on my phone and I don't have an unlimited data plan.

[cwcarpenter98]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Cool! Post a link if you get the chance. I opted out on showing people's signatures because I mostly look at this site on my phone and I don't have an unlimited data plan.

Here's the link: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=818053

[Pick121]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Here's the link: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=818053

Way ahead of me as usual Christian and, congrats on your degree!

[cwcarpenter98]

Originally Posted by Pick121

Way ahead of me as usual Christian and, congrats on your degree!

Thanks, Mike!

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Here's the link: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=818053

Thanks for the link.