Might have more to say later, we'll see.

Couple quick thoughts. If your stock fuel pump works, there is no reason to have an electric pump on that engine. If you decide to put in a big honking stroked big block, then you will need it. Also, if you want to keep the electric pump as a backup, it should be as near to the gas tank as possible.

I had an electric fuel pump installed on an SD455 Trans Am I had back in the 1970s and it was wired to a toggle switch. The vast majority of time it just sat there. The stock pump drew through it and I never knew the difference, but if I had a close race, I would turn on the electric pump just in case.

Also, FWIW, YMMV, etc. back in the day I had a 1978 F150 4WD. Ended up with 14x35 Ground Hawg tires on 10" wheels, pretty close to stock backspacing. They worked OK most of the time, but when I turned the wheels to full lock, they would scrub on the inside body panels and the frame. They might have rubbed on the finder openings, but I never had the right conditions to find that out.

My Redneck Engineering solution was to go to the local machine shop and get two pieces of 1/2" thick steel plate and some grade 8 bolts about 1/2" longer than the stock spring cup bolts. I took the front springs out, used them as a pattern and drilled bolt holes into the steel plates, and, using the longer bolts, installed them between the spring cups and the mounting locations on the control arms. Maintained the ride, was not harder to climb into, the price was tight, and the tires no longer rubbed, so all was right with the world.

Later, when I have some time, I might be able to add more light than heat here.

 

Fuel pump is on the short list of to do’s.
Tomorrow’s project is trying to get her running again.

 

Are you sure it has enough fuel? does the accelerator pump squirt when you open the throttle? is the choke open or closed?

If you're not sure if it's getting fuel, put a few teaspoons down the carb and try it. if that doesn't do it then it's spark.

 

lol, I grabbed some gas today to put in to check that box, gauge doesn’t work.
i will have to youtube how to check on the throttle. I’ll try pouring a little down the carb and see what she does.

Spark… oddly enough when my brother was looking at it when I parked it, he took the cap off removed the rotor and put it back in. Maybe that messed something up.
Appreciate the help and sorry I know very little mechanically.

 

Added gas and put a little down the carb and nothing. I’m leaning towards blaming my bro for pulling the cap and taking out the rotor lol

 

Then it's spark. the control box is always suspect. the pickup coil would be my other top possibility.

 

We had these at the dealer back in the day
These are great
Mine was 40 bucks on Ebay

 

IIRR Motorcraft DU5 is the stator (pickup) for those old ones
I keep a spare module for mine in the trunk
Replace the stator about every 20 years or so
I doubt removing the rotor and putting it back on had anything to do with it
Unless it is shorted out
Check that rotor for carbon tracking inside the post

 

I appreciate all the input. I have no tools to even attempt to check spark. Been watching youtube videos trying to see what I can do. All I can do is strap it to my powerstroke and drag it to the shop lol

 

You can check for spark with a screwdriver jammed into a plug wire and lay it on the metal valve cover while you crank it over
If it's that beautiful blue one, maybe drag it to the Ford dealer
They love working on the old ones as a break once in a while
and
You'll probably get an old master tech to work on it because nobody else knows anything about Duraspark and no self test capability
Every old Mustang that came in needing a tune up and the points replaced, they would give to me (the front end guy) because I had a dwell meter and knew how to set single and dual points
We had 6 master's where I worked, most dealers have 1

 

anyone can fix a duraspark system. even if you replace everything it could be it'd be cheaper than taking it to a mechanic.

Start with a control box, you need a spare anyway, if that doesn't do it then on to the next thing, which would be the pickup coil for me.

But I would check the spark first as directed above, just so I wasn't wasting time.

 

I was asking Grok for help, fairly helpful, could take pics and ask questions.
One question I asked was how do I tell of the throttle is open or closed. Gave it pick and it said throttle is missing.

 

That wider polished bar or "trim" at the top of the tailgate covers the top of the tailgate, is looking like the polished stainless steel one I bought J C Whittney in the 1990s and it is darn near impossible to find these days. It not only covers & protects the tailgate, you'll find that it's pretty stiff and resistant to bending, so it adds strength too.

I had an aluminum one for years, but bought the SS one after running a carbide bladed saw into mine once as was cutting plywood, I just put the SS on a new Ford tailgate on my '77 in 2022.

 

The throttle plates are at the bottom of the venturi, you can see them, but they don't matter for your problem. the choke might be, it's the plate on top you can push open. when it's cold its cold it should be closed as it is now, as the engine warms the electric coil on your choke will slowly open it. I assume you have an electric choke. if it doesn't, you'll run rich and it'll gag and puke and run awful.

But it wouldn't cause it to not start, unless you've choked it and cranked it and put so much fuel in it it's flooded.

 

Well, we towed her over to the mechanic just b4 dark, little sketchy but done. Keep ya posted on the findings.