Well, the end of the story: Don't go down rabbit holes.
I was convinced that the issue was a fuel issue and that after checking that there was new fuel in the tank, fuel hoses were new, fuel pump was pumping, and fuel filter was good, we thought that perhaps we had air in the injectors.
However, even trying started fluid, the car would not start.
I decided to climb out of the rabbit hole. I checked the distributor and that looked fine. I pulled the spark plugs and they had some carbon buildup. I washed the plugs with carburetor cleaner and lightly sanded the contact areas. Then the car simply started as it has done for the past 20+ years..
I discussed this with my mechanic friend (with 40+ years of experience) and he laughed, admitting he had similar experiences in his career.
Now, why were the plugs fouled? I understand that these cars tend to run rich. (is that correct?) Perhaps there was a little water in the fuel that somehow fouled the plugs.
Although the car starts and runs well, I plan on replacing the plugs as I may not have gotten the plugs completely clean and also they are not that expensive.
I see two plugs recommended which are Bosch Platinum and NGK Iridium IX.
What do you recommend and what is the correct plug number.