Does the car stumble when you try to start or is no gas firing at all? Do you have an online fuel filter, perhaps up near the coolant overflow tank?
First check the ignition coil wire. If your spark failed it would need to be all of them for the car to completely die. It sounds like a fuel problem. I presume that you have a mechanical fuel pump. There is only one fuel line running into the pump, with one small hose clamp. You can run a short piece of new fuel line down to a small can of (fresh) gas, which will completely bypass any upstream fuel issues. IMO, that is easier than cracking open the tank. You may need to open the tank anyway if your sender is stuck.
If you really ran out of gas you may have sent crud or rust into your fuel lines. The small gas tank tip should clue you into a clog. If the car starts with the small tank, you will want to open up the tank and clean the pickup. Also swap out the fuel filter if you do indeed have one.
If the car doesn't start with the small tank, check for spark (youtube examples if needed). If you don't get spark, check the coil wire, coil, and distributor cap. If you do get spark and the car isn't starting with your small tank, your fuel pump could be dead.
BTW - It was only a few blocks but I drove mu car home from the seller's house using a fuel line running to a small gas tank on the passenger floor.
