Hello, Chuck. And yes an update.
After it started and would skip a beat or sputter to a backfiring death if I was holding the TCI in my hand and gave it a little shake, decided it was either the TCI or proximal wiring. I cut out and soldered directly part a portion of the wiring harness that had been modified when installing the original "performance" TCI for the new couplers required. No change. Given the dubious history of these TCIs that where sold for a time, and this being the second "performance" TCI I had placed on it after another failed mid-ride some years back, I broke down and ordered a new green TCI, along with a pre-made wiring harness designed for the Electra that included the run from the TCI to the ignition and pulsar coils. For any that do get it from our English friends, it does requires fitting one female connector going to the 10A fuse, otherwise a piece of cake. The wiring colors don't match, so just update your schematics. Got everything in place and she started up pretty readily and didn't die on me after leaving her run and testing an open throttle and coming off it looking for a backfire. Nothing. Had to adjust the throttle screw a bit on the carb, but otherwise no apparent issues. Repeated a few more times without a problem. So spent the next several hours running and retaping the wiring set (I wondered if I was as efficient as the gentlemen in India. I doubted it, but thought it looked good on completion anyhow.), cleaning things up, tightening some bolts, etc. The real test will be to take it out. I'm going to proceed with cautious optimism at this point.
I can't explain the voltage loss through the circuit, but it may have always been there all along, and 10.xxV is sufficient for the coil and spark plug. So it's got a cleaner wiring web, is minus the side stand switch and I'm a little more intimate with the bike. I've learned something through all this, but unfortunately it may have pushed out another something I was hoping to hang onto. I'll confirm it wasn't a dream in the morning, change the oils, and go to a friend's retirement party to enjoy a beer. Sunday will give it a trial ride for the first time in about 20 months. I'll let you know.
Thanks for all your inputs and collective knowledge. Even it it didn't boil down to some of the these issues, just some redirection and education was very much appreciated.