Steering Column Issue

I think the 74's would have had the transmission / ignition switch interlock, IE you cannot put the gear in park unless the switch is locked. Maybe something there bent / broke/ etc?

I would unhook the shift linkage under the hood temporarily to keep that from being a problem

I don't remember on the late columns, I think if you loosen the two pictured bolts the column will rotate. The question, though is "how it got that way?"