I have had this happen in my 70 Charger. I have a MP electronic conversion kit in it with a Chrome box. it was an intermittent problem that never left me stranded but still tested my patience at random times. Once every few months, it would crank and crank but not start. I'd check connections everywhere, jiggle things, cuss and complain, THEN it would just start like normal. Occasionally I tried spraying ether down the throat even though it was getting gas. It worked half the time, I don't know why.
For the heck of it, I tried another distributor. The replacement had a smog engine curve to it...I was just looking to use it to test. It started reliably every time. I figured that I'd just fix my MP/Mallory distributor, so I replaced the magnetic pickup in it and properly set the air gap. That was 2013. It has NOT failed to start since then.
Problems like these bring out LOTS of suggestions from the crowd. Some may be in error though because, being human, sometimes we replace or adjust more than ONE thing at a time and cannot clearly discern what "change"was the actual remedy! I try to avoid that because I want to learn so I'll be able to use that knowledge later.

Sorry didn't get it

Na, it'll ADD volts. lol

maybe the language difference
To be compliant is the opposite of resisting.

Hello Everyone,

I realize that I posted this question about a month ago but it took me awhile to accumulate the time and parts to test your suggestions.

I want to thank all of you for your help and the time you took to post your suggestions.


It turned out to be a bad pick-up coil in the distributor.

I swapped in a spare from dad's parts stash and the car is now starting and running.

Once again, I appreciate the help

a bad pickup would keep it from starting on the ign2 "start" circuit/running on the ign1 "run" circuit so something was missed here but since its starting now we're good.

I only made one change/test at a time and after each test I checked to see if there was any change in the way it started.

It was only after replacing the pick up coil that the car started in the "start position" like it is supposed to.

sounds like you did spot on procedure/checking/diagnosing to me.

Weird! I wouldn't say victory definitelly.

Does not make sense circuit wise / electrically. I'll guess there is a flaky connection somewhere that was disturbed when replacing the pickup coil. One could try to confirm the diagnosis by reinstalling the original and see if the issue returns. The peace of mind would be worth the effort IMO.

Thanks for the update

"I have had this happen in my 70 Charger. I have a MP electronic conversion kit in it with a Chrome box. it was an intermittent problem that never left me stranded but still tested my patience at random times. Once every few months, it would crank and crank but not start. I'd check connections everywhere, jiggle things, cuss and complain, THEN it would just start like normal. Occasionally I tried spraying ether down the throat even though it was getting gas. It worked half the time, I don't know why.
For the heck of it, I tried another distributor. The replacement had a smog engine curve to it...I was just looking to use it to test. It started reliably every time. I figured that I'd just fix my MP/Mallory distributor, so I replaced the magnetic pickup in it and properly set the air gap. That was 2013. It has NOT failed to start since then."

No money is needed, just applause.

Electrically and circuit wise the only plausible explanation is a flaky distributor ground or bad connection between the pickup coil and control box.
Many years ago I did experience a pick up coil with an internally broken wire between the distributor body and pick up. Most likely caused by the vacuum advance plate flexing the wiring. The car would randomly die but always restart. The internally broken lead wire WAS the reason.

Another one was an electronic conversion that had the control box main power wired to the wrong side of the ballast thereby limiting the available voltage to the box. Drove the owner nuts as well as a few other techs/ shops. That was about 12 years ago, the owner at the time was not totally convinced at the time that we had found the problem. It has never failed since
LOL BTW the symptoms were a totally random no start condition.

Not trying to start a p'ing match just saying Electrically and circuit wise the reported "fix" does not make me warm and fuzzy.

NACHO ???

I'm agreed!

The failure reported doesn't match with a pickup failure. I have had what TPJ mentioned, a randomly fail on ignition being the pickup wire at the plug end broken indide, not inside the dist thoght ( but can happen too ). It got me crazy for some weeks ( my car was a driver by those days ). I had to shake the dist plug until get succes to start up the engine, but never was related to a missed ignition when cranking, and just starting up releasing the key.

We can never say that's imposible, but doesn't sound logical... just an opinion. I think there is something else still floating around.