'87 Escort dash lights & tach trouble

I just bought a 1987 Ford Escort GL with auto trans for $800 CDN with only 66,000 km on it. Runs great, good body, undercoated, etc. Very happy. Came certified and emmission tested too!

Anyway, I have two problems.....both in the dash

In regards to the dash lights, the warning lights work for check engine and seat belt, and the right turn signal indicator work...but nothing else.

Also, the tachometer doesn't work. Doesn't do a thing...just sits there.

I haven't checked through all the fuses yet, but figure it won't be a fuse becasue some other lights work, etc.

Is it possible that so many lights have burnt out in the dash? The speedo, tach, gas gauge, temp.....none of them light up.

Any tips on something to check before I tear the dash apart looking for burnt bulbs?

Thanks in advance.

OK, so I bought a Haynes shop manual for the car and it doesn't look too difficult to pull the cluster and change bulbs.

Is it normal for so many bulbs to burn out? It's only an '87 ;-)

Any tips or tricks?

Any thoughts on the tach?

OK, all my fuses are good. I tried to pull the instrument cluster out as per the instructions in the haynes manual for my car. it said there was a release for the speedo cable that I could unhook if I reached under the instrument panel. There is no release for it that any human arm could possibly reach. In fact, I don't think there's a release at all. anyway, I was able to unhook the cable from under the hood and allow a couple inches access to the instrument cluster. my dash certianly has that "printed circuit board", and I think maybe it's toast. this sucks.

I couldn't actually get the cluster out anyway to have a good look at it. My haynes manual says to use the quick release on the speedo cvable, then to unhook the electrical connectors from behind the cluster. well, the cluster doesn't come out far enough to even see whats behind it! grrrrrrrrr.

Does anyone have any tips at all?