So.....hehe, I'm putting my newly powdercoated 3 speed bike together. I haven't maintained cotter pin cranks in a long time (since I worked in a little bike shop in NYC).

So I put the cranks (left and right) on the spindle but for some reason, they don't line up correctly. In other words, the left and right crank don't make a straight line.

Trying to get some ideas on what to look for:

spindle backwards? long side on the drive side is correct as I remember...check
9.5mm cotter pins for english bikes...check
I forgot, should the bolts be on oppoisite side from left and right crank? Its seems that I can only install the cotter pins in the same direction.
Is the hole on the crank arms determine the way the cotter pins go in?

You have to install the cotters facing in different directions. Doesn't matter which end is which as long as they don't face the same way.

That's what I was thinking! I noticed the left arm has a little bend in the hold probably from someone else that is preventing the cotter pin from going in from that direction.