GTV No-Start Help

[ralphone@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi All,

I have a problem with my engine and I'm stumped.  First some background,
the engine is a 1750 with dual Carbs and Crane Electronic Ignition.  The
engine sat for five years before I bought it.  The engine was pulled
from a spider that was totaled from a front end collision.  

Problem - I can not get this sucker to start! I have tried everything
and I'm looking for fresh ideas.

I verified there is spark and fuel. The timing is correct or close
enough for a start up.  Checking the timing by looking at the valves
through the sparkplug holes and lining up the timing marks on the
camshafts and crank pulley.  The plugs will get wet if I keep on
cranking and when I hold the gas pedal down while cranking the engine
spins faster.

The car cranks but when it seems to be on the compression stroke (fuel
Ignites?) the engine wants to lock up?  The cranking slows then picks up
again.  To me when a car starts acting like this I would think it is
badly out of time but I checked this out a couple of times and all the
marks all line up.  Then I thought it was a bad battery so I switched
out batteries and the same behavior happens.  I Double & Tripled checked
the timing and the engine still choke up on the compression stroke. 
Thinking I had the distributor timing out by 180 I switched spark plug
wires and created a situation of of having the distributor 180 degrees
out and tried to start it and heard the customary backfire through the
carbs. I changed starters thinking maybe the old starter was just
screwed but that did not help.  

I would like to take a compression test but my POS Sears Compression
tester is broken  Does any one know what a good compression reading for
a 1750 on a dry cold engine?  Or what the minimum is before a car will
start?  Can the Piston Rings gum up from sitting all those years.  Head
Gasket gone bad?  I know a compression test will confirm this but I need
to know what I should look for.  Plus a new Compression Tester.

Now I'm worried there is internal damage causing this situation?? Any
thoughts.

I can turn the engine by hand with a socket on the crank nut.  Engine
turns smoothly and I do not feel any resistance.

Sorry for the long post just trying to provide a detailed description to
the more knowledgeable.  All suggestions are welcomed.

Help!

Thanks in Advance,
Ralph DeLauretis
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