Gear shift on automatic is hard to move?

I have a 1994 honda civic that my dad's best friend just sold to us. He said he replaced the transmission with a newer one. But recently on startup, it was hard to move the gear stick from park to drive. I needed to wiggle it a bit and I floored the brake to make sure it would change gear. What is the problem? How can I fix it and how much will it cost?

1. Is your dad's best friend an experienced mechanic
2. The fact that the replacement transmission is a different year is a red flag to me, and is quite possibly the cause of the problems
3. Is the shape of the firewall, floor, etc. Exactly the same in the '94 and the donor car?

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