Yes, I do like the access hole idea, but certainly could have been done much better in that case. Sure glad to see I am not the only one that bitches about PO's.
Since I buy many vehicles wo motor and trans then build my own, my peeve is certainly that the PO cuts the underhood wiring harness up to save 10-15 minutes pulling the motor and trans. Just absolutley ridiculous, especially if you know you are going to sell the leftoever vehicle to someone that may very well put it back together.
But, I sure use it to steal what I buy. I recently bought a K10. The guy wanted $400 for it wo motor, trans and tcase. The rest of the truck including driveshafts and axles were there. I asked him on the phone if all the wiring was there and in tact. He told me sure was. I get there, 80 miles from home. Looked it all over, very little rust, so I knew I was buying the truck. I pop the hood and seen the wiring harness hacked up, got pissed and slammed the hood. I told the guy, I asked if the wiring was in tact for a reason and I don't know who, but some ******* cut the harness to save 10 minutes pulling the motor, and they aren't cheap, so either I wasted my damn time and gas coming to look at this worthless truck, or you'll take $200 and I'll track down a harness and get it running again someday IF you have a title to it. It wasn't a way to get the price down, I'd have gladly paid $400. But I guess I made my point and he quickly agreed to $200 and pulled the title out of his back pocket. Who knows, I may have scared him. But, just so sick of coming across vehicles with butchered harnesses. Same thing buying one without a truck bed. Why butcher the wires, unplug them, or at least cut in an area where it can be easily spliced.