Distributor ground?  An easy check with a booster cable from the battery
negative to the distributor case or stalk.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
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When did English cars switch from positive to negative ground? Not that (Lucas)
English (Lucas) cars (Lucas) have (Lucas) electrical (Lucas) problems.

Erm, first, there shouldn't be any spark at the points in the first
place - points are in the low-voltage side of the circuit. Having them
open (and thus, having the magnetic field in the coil collapse) is what
causes the spark over on the high-side.

My first try would be putting a meter set to read resistance or
continuity on the primary side of the coil - Check for (relatively) low
resistance or just plain continuity. Second try would be doing the same
for the secondary - If either says "no juice getting through, boss", the
coil is crap (despite being new). Take it back and tell 'em you want one
that works. Both show a complete circuit? OK, now it's time to set up a
spark plug on the end of a cable, nicely grounded, with the other end of
the cable plugged directly into the secondary post of the coil. Now
jumper straight from the battery to the primary side - just "tap" the
jumper to the primary terminal while observing the spark plug gap. Got
spark? If yes, then the problem is someplace else. If no, then the coil
is crap. Take it back and demand they replace it with a working unit.

Next thing I'd do is check the continuity of the points - Hook a jumper
from battery to one side of a meter set to read volts, the other side of
the meter to the usual "input" terminal of the points, and the other
side of the points to ground. Now crank the engine. Meter should jump
(to about battery voltage) and drop (to close-enough to zero) as the
points close and open, respectively. Doesn't happen? You've got
something hosed in the wiring to the points.

Next step, assuming those pan out:
Disconnect the wire between the points and coil. Attach it to one side
of your meter, set to read volts. Other side of your meter goes to
ground. Everything else wired "as normal". Crank engine. Meter jumps up
and down as points close and open? All is well. Otherwise, you've got
troubles in the wiring feeding the points. Perhaps in the harness
between the ignition switch and the points, perhaps in the switch
itself, perhaps elsewhere, but regardless of where it is, you've got a
problem.

Give it a go and let us know how things work out.

   Did it do the same before the new points and condensor?  Sure 12vdc is
reaching points?  (1)No voltage to points, yielding no spark  (2)12vdc
getting to BOTH sides of the points, yielding no difference in potential
between contacts, resulting in no spark (3) #2 can be caused by points being
shorted: both contacts grounded to each other  (4) I'd try new condensor &
assure it is bolted tight AND new points.  Check continuity between the 2
contacts when NO voltage is applied.
   When checking for spark, first ensure points are 'broken', and use a
screwdriver to intermittently touch both contacts while watching for spark.
If all else fails, remove dist. and test with 12vdc applied on workbench.
When all this has been done, your problem should become apparent--else get a
pro to do this same bench test.
   Hope this helps,   s

Is there voltage on either side of the coil primary?
--scott

Im going to be very fundamental here and hope it doesnt offend you.

Kettering systems, as yours appears to be, are dead simple to work on.  Your
ignition
switch allows 12v to the coil and points, both in Start and Run position.
Note that
the coil has a + and - terminal, usually.  These are not interchangeable,
but if hooked
up backwards, they will run after a fashion...usually.

The coil causes a spark when the points OPEN, not when they close.  Just
wanted
to be very clear on this.

In the ignition key Start position, full voltage (and therefore current) is
available to
saturate the coil field and allow a hotter spark.

In Run, the current is limited so that the ignition components will hold up
longer.
(Sometimes this resistor fails, and the car will try to start, but cannot
run when the
key is moved from Start to Run)

I have seen bad condensors right out of the box.  Shorted, or out of
capacitance spec.
I have also seen new points that shorted to ground because they were
improperly
assembled or installed.  Be sure those two components are in good shape and
that
the points gap (when the distributor cam follower is on the top of the
distributor
cam lobe) is accurately adjusted. (resistance to ground should be
essentially infinite
when the points are open, and essentially zero when closed)

As others have mentioned, one side of the points/condensor is grounded. The
other
side should measure ca 12V when the key is in Start or Run position.

If all is in order, then start looking at the coil.

You should look for the spark at the wire coming out of the coil, not yet at
the sparkplug.  If, for example, you have a bad rotor or distributor cap,
the
spark can short to ground and never get to the plug.

I am repeating some things others have already said, I am sure, but my point
(which I probably didnt make very well) is to understand how the system
works
and to go through it systematically.