My dads 82 Dodge pickup was always hard to start, took pumping the gas pedal
and numerous cranks and it would fire up.  A new Carb help some but still
cranking and cranking to start, sometimes until the battery died ... once
warm it started fine

My 70 Bug was like this also, new starter and new tranny bushing.

Changed the starter on the pickup and now it starts instantly from an
overnight sitting (before it was cranking... ).

Check that the starter bushing in the tranny not worn out and is greased.
Remove the starter and put some grease on the end of the shaft and reinstall
it.  Try the starting.

The starter might be worn out and not spinning the engine fast enough to
fire.
You can have it checked out if greasing the shaft does not solve the problem.

Check the wiring to the starter and make sure that none of it has cracked
diminishing voltage to the starter.

Starter might be worn out and needs to be replaced if all with the engine
checks out OK.

Robert