How many years has it been sitting? Was it inside or outside? Climate controlled? Chicken coop?

I recently started a 1950 216 that hadn't been started in 5 years but had been parked inside a garage (non-climate controlled).

I did more or less what Jerry suggested but didn't remove the valve cover.

I removed the plugs and added Marvel Mystery Oil. I ascertained that the engine wasn't locked or frozen by turning the crankshaft by hand with the plugs removed.

Installed new points, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, etc.

I removed the original fuel pump and saved it for later use and installed a new Chinese pump from Advance Auto.

It was obvious that ethanol had gummed the old pump, fuel tank and fuel line. I routed a rubber fuel hose from the new pump into a gas can full of ethanol free fuel.

Primed the carburetor with the new pump and ignition off and then turned the key.

Fired up after a few seconds and kept running.

Been driving it for the last year and a half, albeit with lots of new parts (feul tank, rebuilt pump, carb, etc.

I did the same thing with a '66 Mustang that sat for 15 years untouched in a climate controlled building. Same procedures, same results. Still driving it. 2 years later.

1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)

1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)