What caused it to melt? Fire? Electrical short? Failed component?
Assuming you have a control box and not just a bare throttle and dash ignition key, it sounds like what your after is a controller harness and an engine harness.
Since OMC is no longer in business and those older motors have all but been abandoned by BRP now the only options are aftermarket and your own ingenuity.
The motor harness is available from CDI
413-0016. the conroller harness is the same from 1996 to 2016. Your best bet is to buy a used controller as it'll be far cheaper than buying anything new to fix your wiring.
A full 1997 Parts list is here:
1997 OMC
If you need to build your own harness, most of the connector ends are available but they're not cheap. Your almost always better off finding a parts motor or used harness off fleabay, even if its just for the connectors.
What I've found over the years most motors are not worth the cost of a new harness and depending on the motor it can cascade into a rather pricey repair if the damage includes several components as well.
Take and post some pics so people here can get a better idea of what your looking for and what sort of damage your trying to fix. Most of us know the parts only by proper marine terminology and just saying ign. to motor can mean several things in several different types of set ups.
If you didn't buy the boat or motor new, there's also the chance that what your dealing with is not OEM so without seeing it, we all can only guess.