Well, not sure what you want to do with the turn signal shaft. To get the lever out of the switch, just grab and pull gently but firm. Just pops in and out. The switch at the base and behind it is another story. To get to the base where the shaft attaches, the wheel and lockplate assembly needs to be removed. Then you have access to the switch. To get the switch out is again not too fun. You need to disconnect the wiring harnass at the base of the steering column. It is a long flat connector. Then you feed that through a small passage in the column itself. After you unbolt the switch, you can remove the whole assembly from the column.
About the cluster and transfer cases... If you dont have the money to fix it right now, then wait. The issues you are facing with all the retrofitting you are talking about is not going to be worth it at this time. I dont know excactly how the newer gauge cluster works, but it is driven off the VSS. No cable. In order to get a cable to work, you need a cable driven transfer case, NP208 or early NP241. You need the speedo cable, and the correct instrument cluster. You also probably have rear ABS which is also run off the VSS, so theres gonna be major problems there. If I absolutely needed to use a different model than the current unit I have, then I would fit a 89-91 electronic cluster and components into mine.
I would just fix what you have with parts from a junkyard. Find out whats wrong with what youve got. Gonna be cheaper and easier that way.
please bare with me and thanks for any and all help. 
