Dash Lights

Most cars have a reostat on the upper left of the center gauge panel. It could be turned down and be the solution. Lights are very dim in general to start with. Second is to check the fuse panel, I think #3. If someone had been in the gauge panel before you, a lead may have come off the main light switch. A few places to check.

...Sorry!! R&L Welch, but you are slightly Incorrect! THE Reostat on the upper left of the center console ONLY dims/bightens the two lights directly overlooking the central 'gauge' console, Itself. There is a Second reostat!! Located down under the dash by the drivers left knee. THIS IS the Reostat that controls the Dash lights. It's about 4-6 inches away from the odometer 'Reset' knob. I Know because half the times I wish to dim my dashlights I sometimes RESET my odometer by Messing with the reset knob instead of the Light Dimmer; they are that close together. You'll find it! Hope it brings your lights back! Marlin.

Marlin, sorry if we misled anyone. Our Pantera is wired through the upper left dimmer knob on the center gauge panel. Our car has no reostat under the dash, just the trip meter. I just installed the Hall white face gauges Wednesday night so I did spend some time to look. My 72L has what appears to me, factory wire from that control to each gauge. It does dim all gauges and the light above the panel. Guess what folks say is right, there are no two Panteras exactly the same

Turns out that '71-72s have a single rgeostat while later ones have two. My SEpt 72 dash is drilled for the second rheostat but....
Its also entirely possible the speedo & tach bulbs are burned out or missing. The stock bulbs are all-glass 2-watt units, and it works much better on most cars to use 5 watt replacements, available anywhere. Take the removeasble sockets into Kragens for a fit-check.

Thank you all for the responses. I think that Marlin may be correct. I did try to reset my odometer and may have dimmed the dash lights by mistake. I did find the reostat for the 2 center lights. I have other questions about the cooling in a panters. I completed some work on the engine and ran it and the gauge says 190 deg but I can hear water swooshing near the engine like the thermost might be stuck. I'm still learning. Is there any diagram on how it works? I only have 1 of 3 fans in front working. Thanks