turns out the answer is no. i ran another wire in place of what i suspectected was a bad wire. it still didn't start.

i have borrowed a test light and i will be checking for loose/bad connections today or tomorrow, and will report back in a week or so. wish me luck.

Good luck Jim!

You gotta try to get that car back on the road before the cruising season is finished for the year....

- Justin

Jim, I just picked up a new cap, rotor and coil for the HEI on my L78 car. Your welcome to grab the old stuff to swap parts if you want to see if one of those components is the culprit. I suspect you have a shorted out wire or blew a fuse somewhere. You should be able to check the power lead going to the distributor and see if it's even getting voltage when you turn the key.

Throw the test light aside and get a multimeter. Let's see if you have 12 volts at the distrbutor. If yes, work forward (dist), if not, work backwards, (ign switch, etc.). I don't know the MSD parts you are working with.

Which car is this? The 69?

you know, i went to autozone and looked at their multimeters (test lights are in the same aisle). i was || that close to buying one, knowing they have the potential to become a decent tool if used correctly and on more than just cars. i still might get one, although i think i can get one for less than $20 on eBay or something. wish i had a computer at home instead of having to keep trekking to the library everytime i need something.

there is nothing wrong with the MSD parts, the rep said they should work on any car that has HEI (which the '69 did). the 6AL will complement the digital distributor parts, as will their billet shaft, but neither is necessary for the distributor to work as is.

the solution is probably staring me in the face and i just can't see it...

and i will rock this car as soon as i get her fixed, whether it's september or january. :)