Aftermarket wiring kits are ez at engine and such. The puzzles with them are wipers, heater, and the like. It wont replace your gauges and will not fix your problem with that circuit.
I don't think it has anything to do with the gauges themselves. When I put the new ignition switch in, the fuse does not blow anymore. I'm sure it goes to other things besides the gauge cluster, but I know it at least goes to that because when that fuse blows the gauges are dead. I think there must just be a crossed wire somewhere, since it cranks constantly now in run. I suppose if i knew where the ignition wire runs, I might try to find the crossed wires.
My concern is that if it's old and crusty wiring, it's going to have more problems down the road. But I think i will try to find this problem first. The ignition wire really shouldn't do much other than go straight from the ignition switch to the starter relay, should it?