JAMES69

Just tried starting the 63 vette for the first time since last fall. Primed it first, turns over well (battery fully charged). Won't start. Tried priming it a few times, still won't start.

Any ideas what to look at next?

Jim

Frankie the Fink

If priming means putting gas down the carb throat that should work if fuel was the issue - so I would look at spark next....
Pop the distributor off and make sure the points open when they are on a high spot of the cam lobe...the gap should be .019.

If you can pull the #1 plug and while grounding it crank the engine - you should get a fat blue spark.

Dan Hampton

From the ignition side, I would, for the sake of brevity, pull the coil wire from the distributor cap and see if you have spark there (ground it to something) and then proceed to the secondary side of the system.

Frankie the Fink

You can also put a jumper wire from the "+" side of the battery to the "+" side of the ignition coil and if the car starts you have a problem from the ballast resistor back towards the ignition switch..