Need some ideas. My truck is barely running (FIXED)

[jayoldschool]

Since putting my 65 C10 230 back on the road, it has operated just about flawlessly in all weather, hauling everything from house moves, engines, to loads of hardwood. However, it is currently stranded in a driveway :-(

After taking it out of winter storage, it ran fine, as usual. While driving last week, it "coughed" once while in top gear (manual 3 sp). Felt like a brief misfire. Then, next time I took it out of my place, it was running rough within a block of my place. Second gear, no power. I thought it was running out of gas, so I coasted in for fuel. Added ten gallons, and set back out. No luck. I managed to limp it along by pushing in the clutch, revving enough and letting the clutch out enough to get some momentum. Was en route to mom's place, so once I got the truck there, it stayed.

I can start it with no issue, and the idle speed lopes. It will stall unless I add some choke and/or the manual throttle. I've played with the mixture, the idle speed and the idle vent valve (to no avail). It's getting fuel. I rebuilt the carb a few years ago and has seen a couple thousand miles since with no problems. It's not making enough power to get out of its own way.

I changed plug wires (was STUNNED to see April 1964 date codes on all!!), and put in fresh 44XL Delcos (had XLSs in it, and they were BLACK, but all the same, no oil/carbon build up).

Pulled the cap, cleaned the points and the rotor tip. No difference.

It SEEMS like a dead lean condition. If I blip the throttle, it makes a gasping noise before revving and catching up. If I open throttle slowly, it revs with a normal noise. It reminds me of what happened with my 65 Impala when there was rust between the carb and intake making a big vacuum leak.

My plan this weekend:
- check spark strength
- compression test on all cylinders (starting to worry this is a stuck valve/bad lifter/flat cam lobe
- check timing, dwell, idle speed (but tough with it running rough)

If the compression test passes, I'll start throwing more parts at it. Points/condenser. A fresh fuel pump. I did a NOS carter on it when I was rebuilding the truck, but it had been on a shelf for a couple decades. It fills the clear Fram filter, though. Maybe pull the carb off and look inside to check the float.

I'm open to ideas, thoughts, speculation... motivation...