Thanks for the help on my '67 (most recent post a few days ago). I took off the spacers the guy put between the plugs and the head and the electrodes were bent so there was no gap at all. No wonder I got spark to the plugs and got fuel to the intake, but the car wouldn't run. When I got the car running, I checked the positions of the carb valve seats and the clown had turned them wide open. That was after I had cleaned the carbs, replaced the broken float and replaced them and set them at a basic setting that would at least allow the car to start.

I put one of the plugs he had installed in one of the wires after setting the gap and it wouldn't fire. The plugs were ruined (I wouldn't have used them anyway).

He had put the spacers in, he said, because the plugs (new NGK I had just installed were so badly fouled the car wouldn't run, so I checked the tail pipe - no evidence of smoking and he doesn't have the plugs any more.

I did have to replace the condensor.

If this guy had just checked the carbs and left the ignition alone, everything would ahve been ok. I feel stupid for trusting a guy who had screwed me before. My cynicism usually saves me, but this time it failed. I can only comfort myself by remembering that the city wouldn't let me have the car home again until it was licensed and the "pressure" made me act my age (which is kinda up there).

Thanks again for the help. Everything you guys suggested was helpful.

JIm Hampton