Bringing my car out of a 10-year sleep. '72 Series 3

No spark.

But here is what's simply impossible:

Disconnect coil-to-disty cap wire from disty & connect it to a spare plug (grounded), and I get nice, hot sparks. So the ignition system is fine up until it enters the disty cap.

Take a wire OUT OF the disty cap & do the same (grounded spare plug) and no spark.

OK, so either disty cap or rotor or wire.

I have THREE disty caps (one brand new yesterday) and 2 rotors (also one new yesterday) and all same result. Have tried 3 different plug wires from disty to spare plug - same result.

WTF ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??

This is not that complicated. Either disty cap, or rotor, or plug wire. What else is there?

?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????

Any suggestions short of firebombing the car appreciated.

 

One thought: rotor may not align with any disty connector when the ignition fires. Check by setting crank to tdc then take off cap and see if rotor is aligned.

 

Thanks! I guess that's about the only possibility remaining.

Funny - when I retired the car it was running fine, then while backing it up a bit died and would not again start. And now no spark.

Think I'll take the disty cap off and see if the disty is snugged down. Maybe I left it loose & it rotated ...

Thanks for helping out, BB