Help with 76 stingray minor issues

I purchased a 1976 Stingray L 48 4 speed for my son who has almost finished his first year at the U.S. Air Force Academy! I want to get it in good shape for him to drive on weekends starting this summer when he returns home. Here are the issues I need help with.

All the instrument lights went out on me while driving it home from Utah when I clicked the dimmer switch. I figure it might be a fuse but don't know where to look or start to trouble shoot.

Brakes seem stiff and hard to push pedal but the car does stop thank goodness! Is there something to look for that causes this having to push fairly hard to get the car to stop or is this normal? The brakes do not feel spongy at all.

Oil Pressure gauge doesn't register or move at all. Is it an oil pressure switch or sending unit or something else I need to look for?

While driving there is a faint, high pitched whistle that stops when the clutch pedal is tapped or pushed.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!
Jeff  

Hi,
Not sure about the lights issue.

the brakes:
Seems like a vacuum issue for the most part.
like your booster is in need of attention, does the brake pedal(with foot on it)  sink a bit when the motor is started?  It should. try the check valve- it should only flow one way. How does the booster hose look?, and the connections?  

Guage:
probably electrical if theres no oil leak. on an old car check your grounds, and yea the sender could be bad, cheap replacement and at least you know that works..

Whistle:
Probably a Vacuum leak, may be linked to your brakes issue.  When I buy old cars with vacuum lines everywhere, I just replace line by line, hose by hose one at a time. More times than not it solves the problem whether its the whistle or bad idle or drivability.  Theyre such a pain in the butt!

congrats on your son, my cousin played hockey there 98-02  

i bet that car has cruise control... and you will find a vacuum cut off switch on the top of the clutch pedal assy...

here copy and paste this link in a new window

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/05/17/d6/large/0900c152800517d6.gif

here is the test for the brake power booster

Vacuum Leak Test

Operate the engine at idle without touching the brake pedal for at least one minute.

Turn off the engine and wait one minute.

Test for the presence of assist vacuum by depressing the brake pedal and releasing it several times. If vacuum is present in the system, light application will produce less and less pedal travel. If there is no vacuum, air is leaking into the system.


System Operation Test

With the engine OFF , pump the brake pedal until the supply vacuum is entirely gone.

Put light, steady pressure on the brake pedal.

Start the engine and let it idle. If the system is operating correctly, the brake pedal should fall toward the floor if the constant pressure is maintained.


you might also pull the black fuel filter looking thing from the power brake booster vacuum supply hose.. blow through it.. see if it is restricted...   they do tend to clog... it is actually a carbon canister... to prevent fuel vapors from the intake manifold from getting into the power brake booster and melting the parts inside...  if you have one in your hand.. real autoparts stores might be able to find the proper part number from the delco brakes catalog to get a replacement...