It wont fire..lt just wont fire

Ok guys figure this one out cause I cant and its making me think of getting rid of my baby.  I have a 66 coupe with 289 slightly modded.  It has AC now and runs cold.  The problem is it has run out of gas twice now (I know I know but it was dire straights) and each time it has come back not firing.  This last time I was towed to a gas station, got gas and she fired right up...only to suddenly die in the middle of the street about 100 yards from home.  The points, condenser, plug wires, plugs, and dist cap have all been replaced in the last week..same problem persists.  Also, something of note, it arcs really bad and will shock you from the point where the plug wires meet distributor cap if the car is trying to fire.  I find that to be a problem too.  Maybe its all one thing or a couple of things.  Anyway...any advice anyone? I really love my car and love driving it all the time, I just hate having to sit her on the curb or in the driveway.  

Big picture.....Most likely either a fuel delivery problem or iginition problem. Both are fixable. Replace your fuel filter since it might be clogged with crud from the bottom of your tank when it ran dry. Check your carburetor float bowls for crud in there too. Make sure your fuel pump is working. Pour a little gas down the carb throat and try to fire it. If it starts then you weren't getting enough fuel delivery.
You don't mention what ignition system you are running but all that arcing @ the distributor cap isn't good. Maybe you get moisture in the cap or you have a bad cap and leaking wires that cause spark scatter. Clean/gap plugs in case fouled.
Ground a plug to the outside of the block and turn the motor over to see if it gets a spark. Need more info here. Recheck everything including your coil, coil wires and grounds. Even the wire that goes to the coil from the ignition switch. If they aren't right it can act like a kill switch. Check your battery cables and electrical connectors that go through the firewall. If loose they will break connection and intermittantly cause problems.  
Your problem is annoying but is not that hard to fix once isolated. Just go through the steps one at a time and be patient. You'll find the problem.  

Ok, replaced the filter and did the carb priming...still no fire.  Its just running the stock OEM ignition system. How do you "ground a plug to the outside of the block?" What info do you need and I will most certainly tell you to the best of my ability.  Ill check the cables first thing tomorrow.  Thanks for the help.  Any more you have to offer is much appreciated.  Im only 21 so I wasnt around when my car was just a little colt.  Im just a young guy who loves em now.  

Blue,
Try this diagnois:
Open the choke plate and without the engine running open the throttle all the way. You should see a squirt of fuel, if you do, move on to the ignition system. If you don't you need to look at the FP pressure, volume and float bowl level.  

On the ignition. get a spark plug and put it in the #1 or #5 wire and hold the plug's ground electrode to any convient unpainted bolt head or piece of raw metal. Crank the engine over a couple of times (use the S terminal of the starter relay)and you should see a spark, hopefully blue if your battery is good and charged. If you have spark, you may have a timing problem instead of a ignition/fuel problem.  If no spark, take the coil wire off at the dist cap and hold it about 1/4 off of an unpainted bolt or anything else that's metal. Crank, if you got spark, the problem is the cap, rotor or wires. Pull the cap off and look for obvious signs of cracking; if nothing found, replace things in steps, rotor first, then cap, then wires (listed by cost of replacement).  If no spark, you need to confirm that the points are opening and closing, & you have about .017 gap (26-32 dwell). You'll find it in one of these places-good luck.  

Yeah,.....what jlg2002 said. That's what I'm talkin' about.
You are narrowing it down real good. By this weekend you should have it under control. Let us know what you find.  

Hey guys

Thanks for the help.  I traced it back to a bad coil.  Figures. Well I have a practically all new ignition system (MSD for those who care).  check out my new thread for my speedo cable problem...its fun too.