Power to coil but no spark

[artpeck]

I am slowly moving along on the project. Series III '88 that hasn't run for 15 years.
New coil. Power confirmed to the coil. New ignition wires. Still no fuel tank installed but wanted to test for spark. Cranked it and get no spark testing a plug to earth. So working back to eliminate the distributor I pulled the primary from the coil to the distributor and still no spark. It has been awhile so I may be rusty but shouldn't I get a spark from the primary to earth if things were functioning? And if so any ideas out there on what might be the issue?
Coil is wired exactly according to the directions, the manual and how the old coil was wired. Positive in to positive and the negative to the distributor.
It has been a long week so my brain is probably just fried so hopefully this isn't too stupid a question.
On positive note the truck is remarkably solid after going over it thoroughly. Zero rust anywhere. Replacing all the brake cylinders as they are shot as were the clutch slave and master. Oh and what a joyous (not) job the clutch master was. A quick search yielded the advice to remove the wing which I took despite thinking I could outsmart the truck. Once again thanks for the benefit of all the experience here.

[Nium]

Check point gap, condenser, low tension lead, dizzy cap, rotor button, the center electrode of the cap.

[TeriAnn]

If you have switched 12V going to one side of the coil and measure zero volts on the the side of the coil then the insulated side of your points is likely shorted to ground.

You should measure 12 volts on the coil contact going between the coil and distributor, at the contact where the wire enters the distributor base and on the insulated side of the points when the points are open.

A broken conductor inside the insulation at the edge of the connector crimp on the wire between the coil and distributor is not unknown. Installing points wrong so that the insulated part is grounded is not all that uncommon. A wire inside a coil can short to the coil case but it is not a very common failure mode. A condenser can short to ground. And of course your points might have slipped and are not opening. These are your your most probable causes

Troubleshooting:

Disconnect the wire between the coil and distributor and check to make sure there is voltage on both coil contacts with the ignition switch in the on position. If you have 12 V on both sides the coil does not have an internal low voltage short.

With the ignition switch on, the distributor base to coil wire connected to the coil but bot to the distributor, check the unconnected connector to make sure the wire is OK.

Connect everything, remove the distributor cap, make sure the points are open and turn the ignition switch to on. You should measure 12V on the insulated side of the points. If not the insulated side is grounded. It might be a shorted condenser or a lead grounded.

When the points are closed and the ignition switch on, the points should be at zero volts. If not the ground side of the point is not properly grounded.

Anyway this is a simplified guide to help you look for your problem.

[artpeck]

Thanks so much TeriAnn. Much appreciated and exactly what I needed. I have been through this before but that was over 30 years ago on a 1971 Pinto. This is a lot more fun.

Art

[artpeck]

...And a lot more rewarding...