[Purdy Swoft]

All good and just to add more, I would first do the thumb compression test. Remove all of the spark plugs Put your thumb over the plug holes, one at a time while you reach over and push down on the starter switch. As the engine turns, If your thumb is getting a good seal over the plug hole, It will pop your thumb off the plug hole when the piston comes up on compression. Any cylinder that doesn't do this, will have no compression. Usually if it has no compression on a cylinder, this will indicate that a valve is stuck in the open position on that cylinder. If two adjoining cylinders have no compression this will usually indicate a blown head gasket. There is a narrow gasket area between the 1&2 and 3&4 cylinders but not narrow between 2&3. This narrow gasket area can blow out and you will lose compression on the adjoining cylinders but there will be no coolant entering the cylinders or the oil pan because the water jacket won't be exposed in such cases. If you have good pop your thumb off the spark plug hole compression , this is a very good sign and it should be pretty easy to get it started.

If it was running when parked and nobody has fooled with the distributor it should still be in time. Providing that it was in good time, the only way that you can mess up and get it out of time is by loosening and moveing the points cam. Most timing instructions are VERY confusing to the newbee and I wouldn't recommend changing the position of the points cam until it can be determined that it is necessary. Like Bill W says, clean the points real good. The points will almost always oxidize when they have sit up for a while, This is usually the reason that most won't crank after sitting up. After sanding or filing the contacts of the points until all oxidation and pits are removed and the contacts show clean metal, I would then check and set the gap. I set mine at .022 but anything from .018 to .022 will do. The wider points gap gives more dwell and a hotter spark. In my book, hotter spark is always better. With all of that completed I would check to see if the distributor and coil is good. With the plugs out and the ignition switch on, hold the end of the coil wire about a quarter inch from a head nut while turning the engine over with the starter. If the dist. and coil are good you should get a good strong blue spark from the coil wire to the head nut. If all checks out good, fuel flow to the carb will be the next test. The float valve in the carburetor can stick in the open or closed position. In some cases tapping on top of the carburetor with a wrench will jarr the float valve and solve the problem without removeing the carb.

If all has checked out and you have compression, spark and good fuel supply to the carb without leaks, you should be ready to crank. Push the spark lever all the way up in the fully retarded position. turn the GAV (choke knob) about one half turn or a little better to the left, off the seat. Pull out the choke, turn on the switch, mash the starter button or pedal. When it turns over about once let off the choke. If it cranks pull the spark lever down before it quits. When it warms up a bit you will need to turn the GAV to the right until is is about one quarter turn off the seat or the engine will be running too rich and begin to lope and emit puffs of black smoke out the exhaust. Hopefully this will get you started, if not come back with the symptoms and I will try to give more things to try. Good luck.