Instrument Panel went dead

I inherited my father's Mercedes 300sd last year. I just started driving it this spring it's got 216,000 on it and it's a 1984. Tonight, while driving it home from work, the instruments stopped working and the turn signals stopped working as well. They worked fine earlier today and half way home. Any ideas where to start looking for the problem. This is my only car and I will be in big trouble if this is going to be expensive. Thanks for any advice you all might have.