Car only cranks in neutral????

so i have a newish starting/electrical issue that has returned from the dead several years ago...when i first put a floor shifter in the car, i remember someone telling me to put the factory column leftover bracketry in the park position...i did so and never had a problem with it for the last 4 years...well last year the car got a new engine, and a new steering box. only one time last year the car pulled this (no cranking in park, only in neutral) garbage, and i checked the linkage and the neut safety switch...wiggled a few things and all was fine.
tonight was my first fire up of the season after putting a new converter/trans in. and the same electrical gremlin has returned..i checked the N safety switch to make sure it wasn't plugged backwards ( which if i remember right makes the reverse lights come on in all gears but park and N)..but i tried it both ways and nothing...but the leftover column bracketry, on the firewall, and the column itself...is complete slop now...nothing internally moves...it just free swings, i'm not sure what the deal is. is the column the wrong place to be searching for this issue? if nto is there a wire that i can cross where the N switch will still work, but also bypass the park sender...(and no i'm not asking to eliminate the switch) b/c i have to pass tech..i want it to actually work...but dont know if i can eliminate the park sensor on the column since the trans has one anyways...i want to safely start the car in park...not Neutral! what should i do fellas? i appreciate it very much...