Not getting 12 volts to coil

If the 8 volts at the coil you mentioned in your post was found WHEN USING THE KEY to crank engine, you have a poor connection in the bypass circuit. This comes off a special, separate, dedicated contact on the ignition switch and is normally (but not always) brown. It's job is to supply ignition power straight to the coil+ when cranking.

IF YOU ARE TESTING by jumpering the starter relay, to crank, you are setting up ABNORMAL conditons, and your testing will be flawed.

When key is in "run" the system gets "ignition run" power from IGN1 on the ignition switch. This is the ONLY "run" switched power under the hood, and IS NOT fused. Normally blue, it comes from the ignition switch, through the bulkhead connector, and supples the VR IGN power terminal, the ballast, the alternator field (blue) and other accessories such as smog or electric choke

When key is in "start" that "run" IGN1 power GOES DEAD

The ONLY power for the system during cranking (using the key) comes from the ballast bypass, the brown IGN2. It only goes one place---from the IGN2 terminal on the ignition switch, out through the bulkhead, to the coil+ side of the ballast