Lesson Learned!
When I got home I went down and gove the motor a fresh look. What I found was this:
The timing ring - the plate that the end bell screws into - was warped/bent. I'm not sure why it was that way, but I flattened it back out as best I could, reassembled the motor, hooked it up and tarted a run-in.
Presto!
The goofy thing ran! I can't tell just how good it's running, but it is running and that's better than a poke in the eye with hot soldering iron.
But that brings up the question: besides holding the endbell in place what purpose does that ring serve that its being being warped would cause the motor to cut out like that? I'm guessing, but I'd bet that I was a bit too heavy on the wrench tightening things down and that caused the ring to warp (lesson learned).
Thanks to those who responded to my original post on this and while noone offered the real solution, you guys gave me enough input to go back and look at the motor again, and that pretty much saved my race this sunday.
</DrX>