thanks for the info Roy. gonna set it up with new wiring and see what happens. gonna try to stay off the starter after a few cranks but man that is hard to do when you are trying to start the engine for first time! especially when she coughs and smokes a little! literally had to leave the garage to pass the time 'cause staring at the engine waiting for starter to cool takes forever!
i will definitely try removing the distributor and turn it over if using new set up with battery doesn't work. thanks for the tip Jianis. don't think i would have thought of that.
Don - turned the engine over by hand with the head off and it was the same. am pretty sure it was #3 and #5 cylinders that were on the upstroke when it got hard to turn. still hoping getting it running and a little hot will help loosen everything up a bit. last thing i did was pull the plugs and pour some penetrating fluid down the jugs. hopefully it helps.
was wondering today what a busted piston ring do? engine was seized and maybe a ring got damaged when it finally let go but i have no idea what the symptoms of busted ring would be. anybody know if i am on the right track here or way off base
thanks,
ryan
