Two issues, and not related I don't think except where the Previous Owner decided to swap the instrument cluster for some white faces ones.

Truck is a '96 Ext Cab 4WD w/the 5.2L

Issue 1: when the gas tank is filled up, gauge indicates full and for first few miles works normally. Then shortly thereafter whenever the go pedal is pressed the gauge seems to drop to E while the accelerator is pressed - returning to roughly approximate fullness state once back at cruise speed. The whole thing stops registering when the tank is down to about 5gals less than full. And no my foot isn't THAT heavy. Is this a common sender or gauge error - or a new goofy problem?

Issue 2: No instrument cluster indication of P/N/R/D/L . There's no cable around the steering column. It's just not there. Anyone got a parts vehicle that they could pull one from?

Frankly if someone has a parts-truck with a viable instrument cluster and cable assembly - I'd like to buy it. The one I'm looking for has a tach. If it's functional I don't care about indicated miles...

I had a sending gauge problem that would intermittantly read E on start up when I know it was full.

Try running a bottle of Chevon Techron Concentrate Plus (needs to be plus) on a less than half full tank and run it through. It was suggested here and worked for me.

what he said

and that cable is really a string if i remember correctly.. almost like fishing line.. mines busted and havnt had the gumpshin to fix it nor really do i care.. makes it a paint in the *** for other people to try and drive my truck.. i get a few laffs out of it.

the prndl is a module that plugs into the back of the cluster. it has a plastic line/wire that comes down to the bottom of the steering column and hooks into a white plastic adjustable thingy. if you have the white connector on the column and a broken wire, you might could splice it back together. the orange line inside the prndl is just a line with a spring behind it, and as the shifting linkage rotates, it pulls on the wire.

if you decide to buy a used cluster, be sure you get one with US(miles) vs CAN(km), tach, AT(prndl), and the mileage is stored/displayed in the cluster. i got one for $25, plus about 15 shipping. mine came with a cut prndl wire and i had to swap it out with my original. i think its common for the junk yards to cut them rather than remove them intact, so be careful.