If the thing has compression, and you can see the ignition switch fell apart, chances are the module got a shot of battery voltage by accident. If so its toast.
What I did on mine was to use a modern 12v E coil, and an early 4 pin HEI module from a GM distributor mounted on a chunk of aluminum for a heatsink. I used the original blue wire for the trigger wire coming from the stator, and used the white wire for the other trigger wire to the module. These two wires produce enough voltage to trigger the module to ground the coil. I wasn't sure it would last but I've been running mine like that for almost two years, its got at least 80 hours on it since the conversion.
While I agree the price is high, you won't get anyone to part with their machines with all that for that kind of money here.
I tried to buy a running 1476 with two wheel weights, Johnson loader, rear weight box, mower deck, Brinly disc and double row plow, and a tiller last summer, he wouldn't budge. The thing was like brand new, I offered him $5,000 cash and he wouldn't sell.
He bought the thing at an auction a few years prior for a song, he flat out told me he got the whole set up for $400 at auction but said he'd die with it. This is usually the sediment you find with these old tractors, its not the money, they just don't want to part with them. They do the job at hand, they're paid for, and many have sedimental value. It takes a lot of cash to break the bond of sedimental value. That may well be the case with the tractor you looked at, or the seller doesn't care if he sells them. Are they advertised anywhere? He may not really want to sell them. If so, you have no choice but to pay his price, which to me don't sound all that bad if you itemize everything. Its not cheap or a steal, but its certainly fair for him. He certainly won't be able to replace all those items for what he's asking.
Last year I had an extra Brinly 3pt disc, I bought it at an auction, it looked unused but lightly surface rusted. I picked it up at an estate sale along with a load of other equipment fairly cheap. Since it was in better shape then the one I was using I put mine aside as a spare, lubed up the new one and put it to use. The old one sat around for a bit, I swapped out the best disks with my other sleeve hitch model, and listed the old one on CL for $450. I got no replies other than lowball offers. I got tired of lowball offers and put it up at $800 cash, 'serious inquiries only'. I got three emails the second day, the first guy came to look but had no money, wanted to trade for junk, the second guy emailed, called, then showed up from half way across the country, asked if I'd take less, I said make an offer, he said $700, I said $750 and it was sold. he loaded it up in his minivan and left.
Now I regret selling it since I bought another machine since, regardless of how much cash it brought.
As far as the Brinly items, you will pay $250 for a new single row modern disk set up, at least that for a plow, and I'm not sure if they even offer a heavy duty cultivator these days.
If someone came to me wanting my 1250 with its loader, deck, snow plow, and weight box, plus my 1455, plus a large tiller, and a snow blower I'd be well over $3000, I'm not sure I'd even let them go for $5000. I don't much care what people say their worth, it would take more far more than $5000 to replace all that equipment even with something used, and chances are anything I got wouldn't be built near as well as these old Bolens machines are. Plus, I know what I have now, if I started over I'd be back to square one setting everything up to where I want it.
If your not going to jump on that deal, PM me with some info. I wouldn't mind having two more machines here, especially another loader and rear tiller set up.