+1 on using GM parts to replace....IF you determine the pole piece is the culprit.
While the pick up coil/pole piece can cause no starts, they usually do NOT work one time, then not the next without actually moving or otherwise disturbing the wires on it. If the wiring is frayed, or the insulation has fallen off, which is common, if the car does start, it usually don't run very well. The pole piece itself is fairly dependable, but the insulation on the wires to/from it sux, and as the advance plate moves back/forth while running, it can cause the wires to touch, which always causes a misfire, or other symptoms, such as a start/stall issue.
Give the new cap/rotor set-up a few days/weeks to see how it works out before condemning the dist totally....unless you just happen to have some spare $$$ laying around ya wanna get rid of.

Thanks for the website on the distributor. That's a fair market price. I'll take Adam's Apple advise also and see how the new components work out before I switch distributors. I'll end up changing out anyway but for " lesson learned" I'll run what I have to see the outcome. I'll be staying local for a few months anyway so I could use the exercise if it strands me. Appreciate the replies..

78 still firing up on start attempts after changing to Delco cap and rotor. Question though. Is it possible to get 12 volts to distributor wire with key in the on position but lose it when moving key to start. If the no start shows up again I'm going to put on a test light to see if I have 12 volts in the start mode also. I can't remember if I've ever changed the starter switch  but the crate engine and every other attached  component is only a year old. Runs great under loads and cruising at 75. Thanks

HEI system should have a full 12v(or battery voltage) on the red wire any time the key is on...even when cranking. A test light will not tell what the voltage is....it will only tell you there is enough voltage there to light the light, which could be a little as 2 volts. You'll need to check that with a multimeter.


Glad it's been firing up otay so far!

Joel, good advice on the voltmeter, thanks. I have a new GM Delco Remy distributor waiting on the work bench just in case the gremlin pops back up. May of already fixed it with the GM cap and rotor I put on a few weeks ago. 

The AC Delco distributor I just acquired has two extra wires coming out of the distributor that isn't on my current distributor and I need some confirmation on there placement. One is black with a round terminal on the end that ends up as two black wires going into the terminal connector just behind where the tach and batt wires hook up. I'm assuming that is a ground wire that bolts to the engine . The second is a gray wire that has a male plug on the end.

 
I'm drawing a blank....can you get a picture of it? Might shake a memory out somewhere....

If their is extra wires it would be a distributer for computer control (ECM) I think

 That was my first thought, but the later ECM type distributors have a second harness with multiple wires in it that connects to the ECM harness. The one in question here apparently only has two single wires "extra". Need to know where each of them originate...
Wonder if the grey wire with the male plug is for the tach filter?