trans linkage issue

have a 72 dart 318 auto. i just got it and someone has done something to the linkage. you do not have the ristrictions in the colum to keep from shifting from dr to reverse etc. like that internal part is gone. you just pull down on the lever and it goes. you don't have to pull toward you etc. then i can only get it to go park, reverse, nutr., 3rd, 2nd. it's like the rod is not long enough to pull down into 1st. also the letters on the colum dont line up with the selector indicator. what do you think someone did to get it this way?