[Crankster]

"If you hear hoofbeats, think Horses, not Zebras"

Check Ignition first, just like the troubleshooting manuals suggest. Inspect spark plugs, and check for the quality of the spark. Are the plugs badly fouled? Remember, we have no way of knowing some of these factors, can only go by the stuff you tell us.

First thing, remove coil wire from distributor cap, and see that the terminal is about 3/8" or so away from a head bolt or other good solid ground. Crank the engine over and observe the quality of the spark. This simple test checks the primary ignition, points & condenser and coil itself. Should have a nice healthy bluish spark that will jump maybe 1/2". Only do this test just long enough to make a determination, it is kind of hard on the ignition coil winding insulation.