427FE Sideoiler No Start

[mutt]

Have read thru various posts on topic but can't seem to get motor to start...

After sitting for a while (2 months), engine cranks but will not start. With battery alone, motor does not want to fire. After going to start position on battery charger to give added amps (or using second car to jump), motor tries to start, but just won't complete sequence.

-Motor: 1966 Ford 427FE Sideoiler with Weber IDA carbs
Ignition:
--Distributor: MSD 8595 ready to run (RTR)
--Ignition box: MSD 6201A
--Pulled the MSD 6201A box and tried to start it with just the MSD RTR 8595, same results (for RTR 8595, voltage checks good on both orange and red wires)
-New mini high torque Starter
-New Coil
-New Rotor
-New Dist Cap
-New 725 CA/590CCA battery
-Fuel flow checks good
-Inline ignition spark checker shows good spark
-Timing: motor has always been hard to start but ends up starting; so, retarded (distributor turned CCW) a bit from previous advance setting to enable stating
-All grounds from chassis to block, battery and starter sanded to bare metal

Any ideas on what else to look at? Should I have advanced timing more vs reducing it? Was under the impression that reducing timing might make it easier for motor to crank.

Thanx
Mark