park lghts come on with dimmer switch

1990 xj 4.0L

The park lights come on when I turn the dimmer on the head light switch.They dim just lights the dash lights are supposed to. When I pull out the switch they come on a little brighter.

the dash lights don't work, cig. lighter doesn't work. I replaced the headlight switch, checked or replaced all ext. lights and sockets, checked all fuses under dash, checked wires for trailer plug(cut off by PO but not shorted).


my 16 year old son just bought this thing for his first vehicle. It came with a salvage title and has had the front bumper,hood,grill,etc. replaced.

I assume there is a short somewhere. Any ideas on how to proceed?
Thanks for any help.
Rob

creative searching will point you in about 5 different directions, people have found shorts in the back seat, under the hood, etc

update: I just pulled the fuse block loose and looked behind it. UGLY. A couple of wires were missing several inches of insulation and had been hastely patched up, a few more had small bits of bare wire and had'nt been fixed at all.Some of the plastic was a little melted.
I'm thinking about replacing the block with one from a donor. I guess I'd just have to splice each wire one by one. Is there an easier way to resolve this mess?