Instrument Panel Question?
The VR has nothing to do with dash illumination lamps
I'm not familar with the physical construction of the older dashes
Your IVR might be inside the fuel gauge.........see if the fuel gauge has three stud terminals
Generally, cluster problems are.........
Bad IVR
Poor connections at the gauge studs to the PC board
Poor / broken connections at the connector pins to the PC board
Dirty PC board where the dash lamps connect
Dirty/ weak spring contacts in the lamp sockets
and of course burned out lamps