Oldsmobile/Buick Repair: fuse, wire insulation, fuel gauge

Question
my gauge fuse blows the minute I turn my key..hence no fuel gauge and no red lights come on when I start the car. If I insert a new fuse within two seconds of turning the key it blows...where do I begin to check..took out the dash and pulled out the fuel gage to see if that was the problem..still blowing. I am lost. Would pulling the gauge light panels help to determine anything? this is a 1983 Olds 98 regency brougham..only 43000 original miles on it and in excellent shape..only other problem I have had is stalling when I take my foot off the gas. It has been sitting in a barn for several years...Thank you for any information on this

Answer
Hello Ruth,
Sitting in the barn?   I might start looking up bhind the dash for signs of mice chewing wire insulation.
By saying within two seconds...does that mean that if you replace it after two seconds it works ok till you shut it off, and restart it?
That sounds like during the bulb test cycle, something is shorted out, because it doesn't get power after the test unless there is a problem.
See if it blows without the connector to the back of the instrument cluster plugged in.
Van