SOLVED!....sort of. Where's there's spark.. there's no fire!

Take it from an old man..........
Changing a piston without doing a valve job just don't cut it. Well you COULD pull it all apart on a press, press out the old bushings mic the shaft sleeves, the gear has to go -fatigue- rebush the vacuum advance plate, means pressing the reluctor off and on. The distributor is tired. Just your luck HEI amplifier or coil screams RETIREMENT! And you're fifty miles south of East Jesus. Do you feel lucky?