MG Car Repair: missing after rest, relative novice, anticlockwise direction

Question
Hi, I recently left my 1972 mgb (UK)at my caravan for few weeks. as a precaution i took off the spark plug leads to the shortest and third plug. On refitting the distribute end of the short one broke. as an interim I've bought a new set and fitted them all. On starting it,it appears that the two i took off are nor firing. I have cleaned all connections on dist cap and checked for damp.Do you have any ideas please. i am a relative novice.

Answer
Hi Mark.  The engine has 4 cylinders that fire in sequence.  Starting at the front of the car, the sequence is 1,3,4,2.  Looking at the 4 plug leads coming out of the distributor, and counting in an ANTICLOCKWISE direction, they should go to plugs number 1,3,4 and 2.  My guess is that you have connected the two new ones the wrong way round.