Dan I won't claim 'wiring genius' but I can bluff it enough take electrical off the list of reasons a motor won't start.
Of course if you want to replace the 265 and hot rod the truck, it may not be worth the trouble to make the 265 run.
I know you live somewhere on the north side of the metro. If you want to PM or email me an address we could try to find a time over Thanksgiving weekend when I could come by.
My family may have plans but I can probably break away for a few hours and come take a look at it. I'd probably come over on the Kingston-Edmunds ferry. Downtown Seattle will probably be a zoo and best avoided!
I know what you mean about fixing old wiring. I usually start by cutting and tossing until all the old stuff is gone. I've rewired several trucks and personally prefer that approach to repairing someone else's old repairs and modifications.
