1978 F150 won't start
 

I was driving my truck the other day on the highway and it backfired. I had to pull over on the side of the road because everything in the car shut off. Now the car will not run. The electricity still works and the ignition will turn over but it will not start. The distributor seems like it is in good shape and I tested one of the spark plugs and it still works. Could it have to do with the fact that i recently cut off the muffler? I am somewhat new to fixing cars so I am not sure what else I should check any suggestions?

Spray some starting fluid in the air intake to see if you can get a slight response out of it. This will help determine if you lost ignition or gas delivery.

I'm not sure what you mean by " I tested one of the spark plugs and it still works". Cutting off the muffler should have nothing to do with it quitting.

If it won't run on starting fluid, I would check the ignition module.

Not running doesn't have anything to do with cutting a muffler off.

If it turns over, you've got power. Now you need to figure out fuel and spark. Not sure how you tested your spark, but I'll assume you did it right (although you should be testing all your plugs not just 1). Now you're down to a fuel issue. Backfiring could mean its time for a carb rebuild, but that doesn't necessarily mean it shouldn't start at all. Use starting fluid or fuel in the carb bowl and see if it'll start and run on what you put it in there. If it runs on that and then quits, you're not getting fuel delivery. Check clogged fuel lines/filter, or maybe a bad pump.

Do anything else to the truck lately that might have caused this?

I have not done anything else lately. I have tried spraying starer fluid into the carb but I have gotten no response.

How'd you test spark, and did you follow through and test the rest of the plugs?

Is there any fuel at all in the fuel bowl of the carb, or is it bone dry?

Backfiring is usually a result of bad things going on in the carb.

I tested two of the spark plugs with a tool that shows a little spark if it is getting electricity. One of them had a very faint spark and the other didn't have one at all. Just today I replaced the pickup coil and when I tried to start it it just backfired. The carburetor was recently redone before I bought the truck so i didn't believe thats what was wrong.

Sounds like its time to do some plugs wires and rotor cap.

I was retesting the spark but smoke kept coming out of the carb which now has me thinking there is something wrong with the carb is there any ways that I can test this?

There's no reason to re-test the spark unless you changed everything. Tackle one problem at a time. Although I've gotta admit, smoke out of the carb is something I've never heard of. Sure its out of the carb and not an exhaust leak at the header or maybe choke heater?

Unless you have receipts that show the carb was rebuilt by a reputable shop, I wouldn't trust the PO just saying "oh yeah we rebuilt that recently".