Only gas gauge works and lights

Fortunately, the 97 cluster is literally just a set of individually wired gauges (along the printed circuit), unlike the CAN bus controlled one in the 99-04.

I don't have the wiring diagram in front of me, but those should be fairly simple to trace back. Each gauge should have a B+ (Battery+) and G pin, in addition to a signal pin for coolant, oil pressure, and tach.

If most of them aren't working, I would suspect an issue with the printed circuit or wiring. Make sure they all have power to start. If they do, some more detailed diagnosis is required.