Hi everyone

I recently volunteered to help my friend, Rick, get his truck running. So here's the story.
He has a '81 half ton 305/automatic. Another neighbor borrowed the truck and when the owner recently went to start it ...nothing. The starter wouldn't do anything. He removed the starter, took it to Autozone - they said it was defective and he got another one and re-installed. (I personally don't think there was anything wrong with his original starter). Tried it - nothing. The key would turn but no spring-back from the start position at all and it will not come out of "Park".
I went over, pulled the wheel, and helped him put in a new "key cylinder" -that wasn't the problem with the "spring back" it was that funny little spring on the rack mechanism was slipping - tightened that up and then the key would spring back. Still no start and then noticed that the red lights on the dash were not coming on - tore the column apart again and found part that connects to the ignition actuator rod was broken

My questions are - how much further do I have to tear into the tilt column to install the new part to the actuator rod and what would be keeping the truck from shifting our of PARK - are these two related?
I appreciate any help offered.
Beststash