[shelbert]

I am a bit unsure, do you have no spark or is the engine not turning over when you try to start it? The conversation seems to have gone toward the later but your initial post makes me think it has no spark to plugs.

If its no spark to the plugs, i cerainly would not start by taking the ignition switch out. If the truck is turning over you are getting 12volts to the switch. Now whether you are getting 12v keyed power to the coil balast resister is another matter. By memory I cannot remember is there is dedicated keyed power for ignition or not but to test this is very simple. If its still points when the ignition swith is on it should have 12 volts to the balast resister under the hood or 12 volts strait to the HEI. If you are getting 12 volts to the balast resister or HEI plug on the distributer then your problem lies after that not before.

Also you should only get 12 volts to one side of the balast resister, The side going to the coil is lower, I am not sure since i went HEI so long ago but i think around 8-9 volts.

I would probably run a jumper from the battery to the resister and see if I got spark as a test. If you get spark it is save to run it this way but be aware you will have to remove that 12 volts to kill the engine. If I didnt get spark i would run it to the coil directly, Just dont turn it over very long to the coil like this or it will damage it, and do not run the engine this way. If you get spark on this scenario then your coil and points and such are working and you need to look at the 12volt supply to the coil or possibly a bad balast resister. If not you have a problem with coil or distributer.

If its not turning over, then disregard all of the above.