47-59 58 Apache 38 doesn't want to start

[dsraven]

if you have the stock 235 starter, with the foot stomp starter, there is a small wire terminal on the side of the starter at the foot stomp switch. that is where the bypass wire connects. the other end of that wire connects directly to the coil pos terminal. if it was running and it stalled abruptly i would say the bypass wire is likely fine since it doesn't have an effect on a running engine, it is only energized when the starter is energized. in this link there is a pic of the starter wthat shows the terminal.

https://www.trifive.com/threads/foot...issues.237924/

if you have a bad ballast resistor the engine would start like normal and then stall abruptly when the starter is released. this is because the bypass wire is energized when starting, so the engine would get spark, then when the starter is released the engine quits because the coil loses power to the coil during "run" mode if the resistor is shot
start by checking for power at the coil positive terminal. disconnect the wire there and check with key on. you chould get less than battery voltage because of the ballast resistor
connect that wire and slip a business card between the points contacts, then check for power at the points positive connection. if no power then start backtracking through the system from the points to the coil to see where you lose power. sometimes it is the nsulator on the distributor that gets cracked or damaged and causes a short to ground. sometimes it is the points themselves that have become shorted, sometimes it can be the condensor or the short wire to the condensor has worn through. sometimes the points spring has moved and shorted to ground.
if your fuel pump keeps losing it's prime it is an easy and relatively cheap fix to replace the pump. buy a good quality unit if you can. I have found that usually when they do this it is because the little one way valves inside have either given up and don't seal well or else there is debris in the pump and something is keeping the outlet valve open a little. the usual problem I find is that the valves have stuck closed from extended sitting so the pump doesn't work at all. in this case a little help from a small blast of compressed air through the pump, from inlet to outlet, will unstick the valves. a SMALL blast, low pressure! bleed back could also be caused by leaky connections or simply evaporated fuel in the carb if it sits for extended periods.
some starters have a metal band around the end of the body where the brushes are located and this makes checking the brushes easier to do. I suggest to check the brushes and see what you have left if your starter seems to be dragging. you can also see the armature brush contact area so it can be checked for bad spots quickly.