haha! (triumphant laugh)

ok, so i crawled under there with a knife and cut the main line going to the left tail light, fuse still blew. cut the line going to the right light, fuse survived! so, as if it wasnt glaringly obvious that being crammed between knife sharp bumper peices and rusty frame would short that cable already, we now know for sure thats what the problem is. :-p

thanks for all your help and suggestions guys, i should be able to get it from here.. and get to the east coast jamboree without stopping everytime it gets dark!

one last question, does anyone know if a dremmel type tool will cut frame metal/steel at all?

At all? Yes.

Much at all? No...