TEMPERATURE AND GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING-HELP

One possible scenario... The mechanical limiter goes bad and sends excessive voltage. The current takes path of least resistance so the fuel gauge is/was the first to toast. If so, zero resistance to ground today couldn't move that needle full swing ( but it wouldn't move fully to home at switch off either ). The excessive voltage is now slowly toasting the temp gauge via the resistance in that sender path. 180 degrees is about 35 ohms where a full tank of fuel is 10 ohms.
Then it could just as easily be totally different conditions. My first step would be,,, Check/prove that the purple temp sender wire isn't shorted to ground somewhere. I've seen it pinched under the slant 6 valve cover, etc...
Then the fuel gauge issue could be the sender ( It has a place where a worn through scrubbing contact will hang like a fish hook ). Or just fuel in the float.
That mechanical limiter is questionable and probably should be replaced no matter what other faults are discovered. Good hunting