Blimey! Assuming you're getting the meter onto the strand of the 'double strand live side' that is from the coil, you should see half an ohm odd between it and the 'other' low tension wire, which is the earth. That's the primary winding, same as measured across the open points when all is assembled.
If you're not getting onto the strand that comes off the coil - but are just touching the strand that goes to the cb end, now detached from the other strand - then you'd see Open Line or loads of mega ohms. (Edit - I read your 'Mohms' comment, not the repeat where the 'M' had gone.)
Suggest you ensure that the two strands on the double strand side are properly soldered together after the disinterment and check again, or if they are separated, try from each strand to the earth side.
No need to be applying any volts or current to measure the coils, just use the Ohms scale.
If you were putting the meter across the condenser by any chance, on the resistance scale, you'd see a rapidly rising number that stopped at Infinity - as the meter's battery tried to charge the condenser up. But I don't think you're doing that if you're 'on the wires' and they're not connected to the condenser?
For the HT, you should see the several thousand ohms mentioned from either the earth low tension tail to the HT spike / slipring brass or from the live strand from the coil to the HT spike / slipring brass. Again, simple resistance, no applied voltages or anything.
