[Laird Scooby]

You've got one or more of the following problems :

Worn fuel pump

Air leaks between the tank and pump

Clogged fuel filter

Incorrect float level in carbs

Incorrect mixture (possibly aided and abetted by weak/missing thermostat)

Choke mech out of adjustment/not working

Incorrect contact breaker gap/dwell angle

Incorrect dynamic ignition timing

Incorrect plug gap

Defective dizzy cap and/or rotor arm

Burned out ballast resistor (if fitted)

Lack of ATF in carb dashpots

Split diaphragm(s) in carbs (if Stromberg)

Air leaks on inlet manifold

Petrol leaks on one or both carbs

Carbs out of balance.



This is not an exhaustive list, just the most likely culprits. Chech the ignition related things first, then for air leaks between tank and pump.

After that check the other stuff if you haven't found the problem, starting with a weak/lazy/worn fuel pump. Also worth checking the fuel filler cap (if it's the one with a breather - "Vented" - variety) isn't creating a vacuum in the tank.