There is always at least one task in the automotive restoration process that seems to produce a splitting headache. Yep, wiring has left a bad taste in a car enthusiast's mouth at one point or another. Maybe we should feel lucky to be building cars that, for the most part, did not come with nervous systems full of wires powering every kind of creature comfort known to man-like most newer cars do today. To back that up even more, we all have access to companies like M&H Electric Fabricators, which specialize in no-muss, no-fuss replacement wire looms that anyone can install without the migraine.
M&H's kits come ready to install with no splicing, cutting, or fitting of any kind. How much easier can it be? All harnesses are assembled by hand and include the correct color wire and connectors for a perfect factory look and fit. M&H will also modify a factory harness to accept HEI ignitions and internally regulated alternators. While rewiring our fabled Classical Resurrection Camaro recently, we noticed that, along with the harnesses' having the correct length, all mounting hardware was built into the loom just like from the factory. These looms also come with the correct cloth tape or non-adhesive wrap.
Aside from the carpet and...
Aside from the carpet and kick panels that need to be removed, there is a rocker cover that, seemingly, protects the wiring that runs under it as well as creates a bridge between the rocker and floor panels.
Once we have located the correct loom for our First-Gen Camaro, the first thing we did was compare the new with the old. You will want to not only compare color and length but make sure all connectors are in the correct spot along the loom. Even if just one connector is in the wrong place or is just the wrong configuration, it will probably mean it's the wrong loom all together. Every part of your new loom will match the factory harness exactly.
The first loom to install should be the one designed for the main body with the fuse box at one end. The other harnesses in the kit will connect to this one and branch off to their final destinations. Make sure the new kit is running in the same direction as the factory kit was installed. If you run into a problem with the mounting points or lengths, then you probably have the loom in the wrong place. (We know because it happened to us a couple of times during this installation.) We should also mention that the kit included a special loom for the factory air conditioning system; however, we had previously installed a Vintage Air A/C unit, which comes with its own loom that we used. Once all looms were installed, the only part left was to terminate the connections at their final destinations, hit the ignition switch, and take off.
 With the rocker cover removed,...  With the rocker cover removed, we can get to the wire loom and remove it by folding the rubber-coated hold-down tabs up. As you can see, the factory loom is a little worse for wear. This trunk section is part of the main body loom coming from under the dash. This will be pulled from inside the car forward. |  With the old loom removed,...  With the old loom removed, simply fish the new loom back in the opposite direction in the exact same route as was designed by the factory. As long as the new loom is installed in the correct place, everything will reach its destination perfectly. |  With the loom in place, the...  With the loom in place, the rubber-coated hold-down tabs are bent over to secure the loom snugly. |
 Now that the main loom is...  Now that the main loom is installed and secured, run the remaining looms to their specific locations and make sure all connections are made and secure. |  The headliner was in great...  The headliner was in great shape, so the original dome light wires will remain in the car. This shot shows the new M&H connector's matching perfectly with the factory receptacle. This kind of attention to detail is what takes the headache out of rewiring any type of car. |  Even the fuel gauge sending...  Even the fuel gauge sending unit plug fit perfectly in the factory hole for a watertight seal into the trunk. |
 The taillight sockets are...  The taillight sockets are in place and ready for bulbs. Here again, check the fitment of the sockets into the taillight housing to make sure everything is correct. |  All paint, grease, or rust...  All paint, grease, or rust must be cleaned from the sheetmetal before a solid ground can be achieved. We will be restoring the trunk in the near future, so we omitted this very important step, for now. |  Heading back to the dash,...  Heading back to the dash, we can now run the taillight loom behind the kick panel to plug into the fuse box loom. |
 Waiting under the dash is...  Waiting under the dash is the fuse box receptacle for the taillight loom. Plug in, clip connector under the dash, and that's it for this loom. |  As we mentioned before, all...  As we mentioned before, all mounting clips are built into the individual looms just like the original. It is very important to make sure all of these clips line up with the correct holes along the way. |  With the loom secure, simply...  With the loom secure, simply plug in the ignition, turn signals, dimmer switch, dash lights, light switch, and cigarette lighter. Note: Because we are using Auto Meter gauges, some modification to the gauge harness may be necessary. |
 There is a separate mini-loom...  There is a separate mini-loom for the interior light doorjamb switches. The passenger side will take some finagling to reach the other side of the dash. Once the wire is secure, it will run behind the passenger-side kick panel to the doorjamb. |  Two more looms left in the...  Two more looms left in the engine compartment. The first is the headlight loom which runs under the driver-side front fender to the firewall. |  The two engine compartment...  The two engine compartment looms slide together before being plugged into the firewall receptacle. These plugs come from M&H with a heavy coat of electronic grease and should be left this way for years of clean, dry connections. |
 Here is one of four mounting...  Here is one of four mounting points for the headlight loom. Even we were surprised how well the M&H loom fit into this Camaro. A place for everything, and everything in its place! |  At the other end of the headlight...  At the other end of the headlight loom we can see the connections for the horns, side marker lights, turn signals, and headlight bulbs. |  The other half of the engine...  The other half of the engine compartment loom is just that. All of your engine connections including the wiper motor, heater motor, alternator, starter, coil, ignition, and all the rest will become almost self-explanatory as the loom is installed. Remember all wires are cut to Chevy's original lengths, so hooking up the components should be as easy "plug-and-go." |