On Sat, 8 Apr 1995, Mark Hamilton wrote:

> I was driving home the other night and my '73 Bus started backfiring and
> lurching forward instead of accelerating smoothly.  I stopped immediately
> (of course) and checked the engine compartment to find wires attached to the
> coil smoking and sparking.  I found one wire that had fallen off the coil
> and replaced it.  I went to re-start the Bus and the key wouldn't even turn
> in the ignition.  
> 
> I replaced all the wires running to the coil and tried starting it
> again......still couldn't turn the key in the ignition.
> 
> I couldn't find any in-line fuses from the coil to the ignition but I
> checked the fusebox fuse and it was fine.  
> 
> What do you think my problem is?  Is it the coil, the electric part of the
> ignition cylinder on the stering wheel, or something else.
> 

check the wires running to the solenoids on both carbs. 
Those wires can come off the solenoids on both carbs and ground on the
engine. Usually when that happens the wires burn up, a built in fuse! I
this is the problem, don't replace the wires with a heavier guage without
installing an in-line fuse.

Alistair