Ignition Issues

[69C10@16]

I need some help.

Last September when the new carb got put on and we changed the intake gaskets we also put in a new set of points. When the intake got replaced a few months later we checked them just for grins and they had fried up. Right before we did this I had noticed the truck running really horrible, hard to start, upon engine load it sounded almost like it had some odd detonation. THe problem went away after the new intake got put on. I assumed it was because we put in a new set of unipoints and it was firing correctly again. It was running amazingly.

I'm having the exact same trouble AGAIN. Pain in the butt to start, pain to keep running after you do, odd rattle/tap/knock (It's really hard to describe) sound under a load/acceleration.

I'm guessing points again. I took the dist. cap off and the rotor but I couldnt see the contacts so I can't be sure. I went and talked to my local guy, the ONLY one I'd ever trust leaving my truck with, and he asked if I had 6 or 12 volts at the coil. I asked for a meter and went and checked and I've got 12. He said I'd have 12 ONLY under starting conditions and after that the resistor wire should leave 6 volts at the coil while it was running.

DOes that sound right? I trust this guy with my life but it just sounded really odd. If I do have 12 volts all the time then that's what has caused me to go through two brand new sets of points in a four month time period right? Could I have a coil issue?

Any opinions would be great.