I really need help, car help.

Ok... Short version: My tail lights, dashboard lights, console lights and parking/driving lights will not work.

Long version: Ok, so I put a system in my car a couple weeks ago. Which by the way is a 1987 Cavalier RS. Anyway, a couple days after putting the system in, my tail lights, dashboard lights, etc. stopped working. I called a friend who knows a thing or two about electrical, he said it has to be the light switch.
Right, so I replace the switch from Autozone. Didn't solve the problem, so I figure it's Autozone's crappy parts. So I go Napa, still nothing. The headlights would work, along with the turn signals and hazard lights (which I don't think have anything to do with the light switch anyway). And here's the part that just puzzled me to death, I could still hotwire the tail lights on, but light switches would not turn them on. I get a wire, and hotwire the the tail lights, one wire going from the red power wire to the headlights, and another going form the power wire to the brown tail light/dashboard light/etc. wire, well all of that messes up eventually and it starts smoking, I fried the brown wire. (also managed to get myself a warning ticket from Edgewood's finest x.x)
So I start ripping my dash apart, which is no easy task, and am currently at a stuck point where the main firewall harness that just about all the dash wires run through will not come loose, due to unintelligently manufactured screws/bolts. I can probably get it loose, but I'm thinking 'how am I ever going to get this dash back together right?' So I decided to look around on the net and try to get some help/advice.
Do I need to rip my dash apart and trace the fried brown wire, or can it be done w/o ripping the dash out? Where does it go? Could it be possible that where ever the brown tail light wire leads, relay/computer/chip whatever, is the problem? This is killing me, a 16 y/o who just got his liscense 2 months ago w/o a car... I need some help, big time.
Another thing, I considered just running whole new wires to the tail lights and using the existing power wire with a toggle switch, but then I thought I wouldn't be able to get the dashboard lights and such to come on, so it might be easier just to fix the problem right.

If anyone could help me out here, I would GREATLY appreciate it.

Check your fuses. Sounds like to me that you have a blown fuze

It could have been a blown fuse to start with but it sounds like you did some damage when the brown wire was fried, it could have melted the sleeve off a few other wires next to it, which may have blown a fuse, but replacing the fuse won't do any good if it's shorted out, it will blow another fuse as fast as you put it in. I would find a friend or somebody that has professional electrical experience to help you as these electrical systems are somewhat complex and difficult to troubleshoot.

STOP!!! I couldn't hardly finish reading your post. First I'm pretty sure your problem is the system or the way you hooked up the new system. Try and go back to square 1 . Remove the sys. you installed, check all wires in immediate area for good connections, next check all fuses, replace as needed, then see where your at see what works and what dosen't next whatever dosen't work try and start tracking down wires work on 1 problem at a time you will find a common denomenator, most likely you've upset or disconnected a ground that grounds those accessories together. If you've got a wiring schematic (can get on internet) you will be able to find the common wire without tracing down each accessory by hand. It 's time consuming but be patient when you find it, it will probably jump out at you.