It sounds like you are going to have to do some looking under the dash to see what you smoked. Because this happened when you were trying to crank the engine, I would start by looking at the ignition switch and the associated wires. Have you checked the fuses yet? Whatever shorted out may have blown a fuse that also effected the instruments.

Also, if you had been working on the tranny, is it possible you pinched a wire going to the starter/solenoid, and you had a short to ground when you tried to crank the starter. I would also take a good look at all the wires to the starter.