Park not engaging after front end work?

If it worked before it can work again, its just out of adjustment. The column has its detents, and the transmission also has its own which can throw off the "feel" of the shifting. I adjusted mine by getting under the car and loosening the adjuster on the arm closest to the trans and having someone inside slowly move the shifter back and forth. Once I confirmed which direction was "park" on the transmission I manually moved the shifter arm on the trans all the way in that direction making 100% sure it was in park then making sure the column inside was in park and tightening it down. You might have to fiddle with it a little after that point to get it perfect but that is a good starting point.
If I understood you correctly, it sounds like when you are in "park" on the column, the trans might be floating on the detent between Park and reverse.