Yippee ti yi yay - we got the truck started last night. Bypassed the old hard fuel line and filter from the tank to the pump, tightened some loose (and leaking) connections, adjusted the float level in the carb, gave it some choke and it started! I picked up a new set of plugs today and will follow your advice. If they do soot up again, would the air fuel mixture adjustment be the only answer, do you think?