I would definately get a soldering iron to start with, not too sure of the rest of your queries. I have an electric one, but having used my mates butane one, Id recommend getting one. Even if only for a portability factor.

1. As above - soldering iron and heat shrink - youll be a proud man when you finish with heat shrink, it looks nice and pro. Butane is great.
2. Colours are not essential BUT very helpful if you can keep them as certain colour indicate certain things + there is no prob down the track if you have to redo anything cause the colours at both ends will match. If you use a larger diam (esp. for power wires) its fine but try not to use thinner).
a - I dont know BUT a local wrecker should let you strip the looms out of a car or two for cheap... its second hand wire but from a newer car itll be fine - wire is bloody expensive so if you are on a budget its worth looking into. Jaycar have a good range.
3. Multimeter YES, YES, YES!!!! They are priceless, and why dont you already have one!!!?? ; p Even the cheapest will have a continuety "beep" - this setting will let you put a pin at each end of the wire and if the ends are connected youll hear a beep. If you can get one that has aligator clip attachments as well then you are doing well!
4. Cheap elec tape is crap but itll last for a little bit... manufacturers use good stuff that Ive never been able to find anyway. Use black tape and then get yourself some condute for each of the looms to be covered by. This costs a little but is worth the protection and neat look.

HTH



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Why are you reading this, you should be looking up there^^
- HJ turbotonner looks and goes like a sneezing rhino on heat! -

Thanks gents

Great help.

Found harness tape at Rare Spares (Part No:K0067) and Ive sent them an email to explain how this differs from electical tape other than its width.

Off to Jaycar in the morning and trying to find some wreckers that still have HK-G cars - thatll be interesting !!!

Will let you know.

Cheers

Jeremy, I find the best source of wire to be the mid-model commodores - particularly VR-VS, and I cut the loom at the drivers kickpanel, and chase it all the way back to the tail lights. This nets about 3m lengths of many different multi-coloured good quality wires (it solders really well too). You have to cut off some bits as you go, like where the central locking wires head up the B-pillar, and the fuel pump & rear speaker wires branch off, but most wreckers will only want $10 for a handful (1/2 dozen cars) of these.

Before you embark on the HK though, Id have a real good look at the conversion & what has been done. It may be worth patching it, or it may be better to source a stock EFI 5L engine harness, and build a new one from scratch. I have found this particularly apparent with so-called conversion kits that come from Mexico that use non-factory plugs & sockets to make a half-assed plug-n-play loom, that never seems to be right for the car its in.

Ive also posted a little bit here too:
http://www.fastlane.com....topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21995

Cheers,

Mick
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Judge a successful man not on how he treats his peers, but on how he treats those less fortunate.