The distributor is a Procomp Electronic distributor, so there are no "old fashion points" in it; and of course it uses a separate coil. I did not think about the voltmeter being messed up, but it has had its share of drops and such... to test the coil I took it to an auto parts store, and they tested it with a voltmeter across its various terminals, and it read less than it should have. Should there be a voltage reading across the coil's positive and negetive terminals with the ignition on? I'm guessing the answer is no, unless the engine is running... Tomorrow I'll get a new voltmeter and test the readings. But, the deal is, it still will not start, because there is no spark at the plugs... thanks - kip