car dies under throttle pressure - idles ok

[kanizer]

1980 caddy - just picked it up.  the engine starts up alright, though the whole car shakes pretty violently as it idles.  It held idle for around 10 mins before i shut it off.  When i try to give it gas, it abruptly dies.

I don't even know where to begin, but am wondering if this is indicative of anything obvious.  Any help is appreciated.

[burn_your_money]

Most likely it is air in the system or a clogged fuel filter. Maybe both. Try replacing the filter (prefill it) and see what happens. You can also run it off a jerry can to eliminate the tank and lines to see if they are the problem.