I don't know why, but I can no longer upload pictures. Anyone know why?
So the final mileage with the 10% correction factor (my odometer error as accurately as I can tell) was 2,891 miles in 6 days. I pulled out of my Houston garage into light rain. About 2 miles on I-10E and I was ahead of the rain. Then the traffic stopped due to the small local down pour of rain. I was soaked for the first time, and less than 10 miles from home (the top was up, and little water came in where the side curtains should be, but the top/frame leaked a ridiculous amount). A few hours later, the rain was more steady, and lasted a few miles. I was soaked for the second time. Often, more water was running inside the windshield than outside. I theorized the frame to glass was leaking. The car ran fine.
Before I headed out on the second day, I ran a length of black vinyl (electrical) tape with half on the glass and half on the frame, the entire way across the frame (first I had to remove the top, as the top almost covers it), to hopefully seal it better. About an hour west of Wheeling West Virginia, the dark skies and lightening clued me as to what was about to hit the fan. I had time to stop for gas, and put on the passenger side curtain. When I got back on the freeway, and up to speed, the rain got up to speed as well. I've never seen so many cars pulled onto the shoulder. No water came in at all, not even with the missing side curtain -as long as I was moving. Since visibility was so poor, I followed someone who seemed to know where the road was going. Then they slowed down and turned on their flashers. I don't love it when people create all that extra flashing light. I slowed down too, but only because the TR3 started stumbling as if I'd run out of gas -tho I knew I just filled up. Seconds later, I was looking for a spot to pull off, because the TR3 was no longer running. As soon as I coasted off the bridge, and past the guard rail, I pulled off onto the shoulder and turned off the key, even tho the ignition light was not on. I never turn on the wipers since rain-x does a much better job. I turned on my 4-way flashers, and that indicator didn't work, so I pulled out a flash light and turned it on so the few moving cars might see me. By the time I got the drivers side curtain in place, I was soaked for the third time. This time I was wetter, but the inside of the windshield was dry. I sat in the pouring rain, knowing it couldn't last long, and pondered the changes I made to the wiring, and what might have come loose or where. The rain finally slowed, and I donned my hooded rain coat, flicked on the 4-ways, grabbed a flash light and the hood key. That's when I heard the flasher and remembered the indicator isn't wired to the 4-ways. (From inside the car, it's impossible to see the flashers, but the ammeter needle will toggle in time.) Then I remembered the ignition light hasn't lit with the key since I installed the alternator. So I turned the key, hit the start button, and it fired up and ran fine. I suppose I had some water in the distributor, and the heated engine compartment dried it while I sat in the rain for 40 minutes. Anyway, it ran fine and my GPS was still showing me at the airport an hour before the plane was to land. Then I realized the GPS hadn't considered the time zone change between Houston and Pittsburgh. As I was pulling into the Pittsburgh airport, and driving past the sign indicating "arrivals", I got a text from Prudence that she landed. Pretty good timing.
We drove the 2 hours from PITT to Portage in the rain. We were dry and warm with both side curtains installed. No rain dripped down the inside of the windshield. We celebrated my moms 92nd birthday on Saturday. It was a big day. Sunday Pru and I drove back to PITT and spent the night.
Monday morning, I dropped Prudence off at the airport around 6am. Then I drove over 900 miles to just south of Little Rock Ar. before spending the night. Today, I drove the rest of the way 'home'. With less than 3 miles to the last exit -while stuck in stop and go traffic, I stalled the car, and flooded it trying to restart. I got out and pushed it across two lanes, and onto the shoulder. When I looked under the hood, the glass fuel filter was bubbling like a freshly poured Guiness. After a 20 minute wait, the traffic seemed like it was moving, so I sprayed a little starting fluid and fired it back up. I didn't let it idle those last few miles home. I made it without issue.
Another 2,891 miles, without a break down by my definition. I've already cleaned the bugs off and am thinking of my next adventure.