hi im trying to figure out how to wire up my reverse lights on my 78 camaro, the car was owned by people who clearly did not know what they were doing so im slowly putting it back together correctly. Its a 4-speed trans and on the trans it has a plug with 2 male connectors coming off it but my question is where to run wires to connect to that? i followed the wires from the lights up to the dash and they run into the fuse box and then to a switch or something that rests on top of the steering column. Any thoughts? thanks.

 

Almost sounds like it was not always a 4 speed car? My guess is the wires used to run to a shift indicator in the dash, that a 4 speed car wont have.
If you have a trans with reverse switch built in, you need to check that switch first, to ensure it's working. Put an ohm meter on the two connectors, and see if the switch closes when you put the trans in reverse. If it does, then you can easily wire for a backup light.
Try putting 12v. power temporarily on each of the two wires, and see if the backup lights come on. If they do, that's your feed to them. Then just need to hook it to your trans switch, and a 12v. feed to the other terminal. If they don't, then you need to find where the backup lights wire leaves the dash or column, and connect that to your trans terminal, along with the 12v. hot. The wire to the backup lights should be a Lt Green.

 

thanks for the reply, yea i dont think it was always a 4 speed car, there is a switch present on the trans i still have yet to test it i have the seats out and need to really get it up on ramps to test it. I see the little green wire that runs from the back all the way up to a box on the steering column. After some research this is what i found: Neutral safety switch and reverse light wiring - NastyZ28.com

 

I would say you have a mixture of two generatons.
First Gen ('67& '68) has the switch mounted on the trans and a linkage rod from the reverse lever to switch selecting back-up lights as the plug gets into a receptacle around the gas pedal on engine side of firewall.

Second Gen (and '69) has the switch mounted inside on top of the column and a lockout rod and bellcrank outside - see short lever next to engine side firewall - from the trans linkage turns the column shaft in actuating the back-up switch.
Also, a manual trans 2nd Gen & '69 would have a clutch safety switch for starter.

Your easiest would be run a power wire from IGN or ACC fuse panel spade to the existing plug and change location of the green wire form the column box to the other side of trans switch.