Yes all your power goes through that switch to the cluster lights. Could be a bad connection to the switch. There is a multiple connector & one single connector that plugs into it.

 

This is what i had to do to mine to fix the light gauge issue.
1) die electric grease on the connectors of the instrument cluster
2)check to see if the light switch ( black box on the light ****) connections are good and tight. my original one the rivets came loose and i had the same issue.

if that's the problem i highly recommend getting the more expensive one with the lifetime warranty as i have had had to replace the switch twice since then because the crummy circuit breaker was really weak. i haven't had an issue in over 2 months.

i bought mine at orilley for ~25 after tax by bwd i think.

and before someone tries to tell me i have a wiring issue i am 100% sure i don't i have checked the entire circuit.

good luck!

 

Far as the instrument panel is concerned, is there anywhere to get new needles for the gauges? or is that just a try to find nice ones at a junkyard type part

 

how do you remove a bulb from the cluster?

 

If im not mistaking you turn the black sockets(where the bulbs plug in) counter clockwise a quarter or half a turn and they fall out. nothing too difficult!