Ron wrote-"...what "Windings in the Distributor"? ...you mean the trigger for elec ign?" I just can't/couldn't think of the correct term for the part of the Bosch electronic distributor which consists of a spool of copper wire encased in the white plastic housing. When I worked in an Indy Volvo shop in the late '80's I'd see this condition on occasion -- the complaint being "My car wouldn't restart a few times when hot (the motor--not the weather) but did start after it cooled down." My assumption was the wires were shorting due to heat and age.
The other fault I'd sometimes see is a mangled reluctor (correct term for the 4 legged "star" wheel?) or the 4 posts. I have no idea why someone would mess with those parts but some careful persuasion with a screwdriver and needle nose pliers could set things right.
I'm glad to see an actual electronic engineer confirm my suspicion that a lot of automobile electronics are just not up to the rough environment an auto.
As for sleeping upright in the drivers seat-I probably would have done that even if I had points that had simply closed up given that my day started with leaving the house at 3:30 AM - driving 2.5 hours to the track, registering for the Time Trial, installing the race tires, signing up drivers for photographs, instructing the corner workers of our rules of the day (the Eastern Motor Racing Association - EMRA), conducting the Driver Meeting, driving my sessions, taking photos of the others, reinstalling street tires, helping with the trophy ceremony and going to dinner with fellow racers. By the time I'd coasted into the rest area it was near 11pm. I awoke at sunrise and was back on the rode an hour later.
Was it all worth it? Given that I'd won my class championship in 2005 and 2006 I'd have to say yes. :-) Dave