318 will not start

Magnum87 said
Have a 73 Coronet with a stock 318 2 barrel. Just got it. The previous owner said car was running fine until about 2 weeks ago and wouldn’t start- just would crank nothing. Seemed to think it was the fuel pump. Have the car home. And it hit and soon as I cranked it. That’s all I can get it to do is hit. Hits better when holding the gas pedal to the floor. I verified I’m getting spark. I changed the ballast and ECU just to be safe. Also it’s getting fuel u can see it in the carb when working the throttle. U can smell gas also and it’s bad out the exhaust after it hits several times.
Is the car just flooded? I tried starting it with the pedal to the floor and never let up and like I said it hits better but that’s it. Any ideas??

Two things I would do I would have a can starting fluid and try that then I would grab the crankshaft and see if I could turn it back and forth without the cam turning=timing chain worn/chain slack/jumped teeth.

If it fires and runs a few seconds on the starting fluid....the carb has a major vacuum leak, simply even the base plate gasket could be the cuprit.
Overall it sounds like you covered the ballast/ignition box and verified spark...
You can also just spray a lil wd40 on the carb and base gasket and try to start it...and or get it running with the starter fluid then put your hand over the carb and if it all the sudden idles fine.. carb gasket time.