The downside of the barge...

Looks like her timings off too, distributor clocks off by two! its a wonder she ran at all, and none of the plugs where gaped at .035 they where all .040 or .045...
Also some of the vacuum lines aren't connected, and the air filter is missing something, I don't know what exactly, I'll take a picture, also its rubber vacuum line isn't hooked up...
Auto choke doesn't work... or at least it seems to not be working...
Someone wasn't taking care of this girl, my oh my...
Time for a timing light, the shop manual, and a trip to the yard!
I swear I'm going to get this old girl working they way shes supposed to, even if it kills me.

 

That's the spirit!

 

Denial and pigheadedness will get you through every time!

 

Was the timing advanced or retarded? That might explain the overheating issue if it was retarded.

 

You may also want to get one of those 20-30 buck Actron (or whoever) digital multimeter and engine analyzer deals if you don't have one. They do tach-dwell and can test a lot of other neat stuff.
A vac/compression gauge can come in handy too, but get it running first.

 

I'll put it this way, if you go clockwise starting at 1 diagram says 1,8,7,3,6,2,4,5. On the car starting at the number one slot was 4 then 5,1,8,7,3,6,2.
As for the Actron, are you referring to...
https://www.amazon.com/Actron-CP7605-Tachometer-Voltmeter-Analyzer/dp/B00062YUUS
This?

 

Are you looking at the cylinder numbers like this?

 

Because that firing order you listed is close to the GM standard order, which is no way like Ford's.

 

Looking at a diagram like this
Going clockwise its 1-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1... sorry read it clockwise out to y'all not counter clockwise...
Guess that means that bad plug was on cylinder 6, not 2...

 

I knew something was GM screwy!

 

OK, so you don't need that diagram; do you need the specs? If so, I can look them up when I get home.

 

I got the original 1973 ford manuals, although they are falling apart.
I'll look there first but thanks for the offer.

 

OK.

 

I had an old Ford with a 302-V-8. The wires were off by two spaces. It worked but just because someone was too lazy to pull the dist and reclock it they had to move the wires on the cap.
Some people should own only new cars with the hood locked.

 

Ok, got the wiring in the right spot, I think I got the rotation correct facing 1 on I hope TDC but she won't fire, she spins and half catches but no fire... before with the rotation off to the old wirig it wurred and popped a couple little smoke pops out the carb