Offhand it sounds like the connector at the distributor is bad. Maybe broken and an open circuit or maybe broken and providing a ground through the body of the distributor. If you have a handheld electric meter, then put it on the circuit check selection (most of these make a little buzz sound when the circuit is complete). Disconnect the wire going from the coil to the distributor and touch one pole of the tester to where that wire connects and the other to the distributor body. You should hear nothing but if you do, there is your problem. If you hear nothing, then remove the distributor cap, touch one pole of the tester to where the wire connects and the other to where the condenser connects. If you hear a buzz, that's good (but you have another problem) and if you hear nothing that means that somehow that piece has broken and no connection is being made. There should be a hard plastic piece going through the body of the distributor and the connection piece is simply a screw going through that. Take a look below and you can see. That plastic piece is to insulate (from ground) the connection. Please let us know what you find.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
