Mystery, Engine Dies occasionally and/or won't start Options

[Literati914]

'72 1.7 with D-jet

Last evening: Finished up replacing a selector input seal on the transmission, buttoned it all up and went for a test spin around the neighborhood.. about two miles in to it, I felt a slight hesitation before braking for a medium speed turn, engine dies right after completing the turn. Pull over, and it won't restart. Not hearing the pump now (but it had seemed kind of loud earlier) (new pump w/ about 300 miles on it), so I switch out the relay in the engine bay. Now I can hear the pump, and it starts and kind of idles for like 4 seconds. After that it basically just cranks and starts for a second or two or three. So we pulled it home, 'cause I wasn't far.

Today: I pulled the front pre-pump (re-usable) fuel filter and cleaned it. There was some crud but I had expected more tbh. Then I replaced the rear fuel filter with a new one. Car starts right up and I immediately put 7 miles on it. A few hours later car starts up fine again, put another 8 miles or so on it.

This evening: Starts up fine, drives to hang out with friends. Then it will not start. Wait a couple hours and it starts up and drives home like no problem. Pull up to house, move trash cans while the car is idling - and it dies!

This has been a bit of an on-going issue with very similar senarios over the last several outings. Seems like a fuel issue to me, but wtf.

It would be funny if not so damn frustrating!

Any thoughts? (besides ditching the stupid d-jet crap)