[NightTruckFoods]

Thanks bigrigpardo for your response. Fuel and Spark work.
Here is the short version of todays story: Got it "running" but not well... again just my luck, as I post on a forum for help the thing figures itself out....
Long version: Battery read 11.3V so i thought it was not ideal but fine, engine wasn't turning over. I began to suspect a bad starter motor but i decided to take the battery to the shop just for a check up. Turns out it was only getting 140 Cold Cranking Amps instead of the usual 800... got it home, full of juice, fixed a lose connection to the starter, hooked it all up, then vroom. HADN't HEARD IT VROOM IN 2 MONTHS. guess im an idiot...
HOWEVER there's a catch. 2 issues with stalling that may or may not be related
1. The truck will stall out VERY easily. i have to feather the manual choke and become an artist with gas pedal play to keep it from stalling and it still inevitably will stall without my complete attention to both. This is not driveable. Im afraid of stalling while on the road. How do I fix this?
2. Once it stalls out, it does not want to turn over on the first few tries. Turning the key yields a single click sound (coming from the starter) but not turning over at all. no movement. holding they key on "start" position yields long silence. After several turns of the key, between 3 and 10 tries (one right after the other / 5 second wait between) it will start up again and so again begins the dance of avoiding the stalling... Is this starting issue related to the first stalling one?
I have a few additional concerns with the truck.
1. Disconnecting the battery, engine stops running. Is this the desired effect or is this bad?
2. When running, especially frequent with choke all the way off, a pop and a flame will spat out of the pipe reaching the ground about a foot away! is there something wrong or is this fine? there is no muffler in this system. just a skinny cat and straight pipe.
3. I modified the clutch linkage. last year, the truck wouldn't go into gear at all, and i had places to be... it would grind when trying, even after bottoming out the clutch pedal. the factory threded adjustment in the linkeage was maxed out already, and im told by the last mechanic that looked, the adjustment inside the bell is maxed out already... SO - my mod. A shaft comes through the floor, the pedal lifts this shaft higher. I made the side of the clutch pedal, opposite the pivot point taller using a bracket, so that the shaft would sit up higher to start with, pulling it extra high when pushing in the pedal. my question is, based on people's expertise and experienced, given the apparent state of my clutch, how many miles with this modification get me? what parts are bad? whats the long term repair solution? cost?

also just in general WHAT on earth should i do to improve the health and reliability of my drivetrain? Nothing seems to work as it should at all and this keeps me up at night when i know i have to move the thing to go make any sales to stand a chance at meeting my costs. this darn thing is supposed to be my livelihood...
thanks again in advance.