You can go with a new tilt column but finding a donor truck with a used tilt column is a better bet. Take it apart, rebuild it, replace the old parts. Your kid will learn a ton doing it and have a greater appreciation for it.
Then I would go with the Wolff engineering lower steering column...
I’ve never done a swap like this but I’ve been following this guy on Instagram who has been cataloging his experience doing it. https://instagram.com/86crewmaxlb7?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I don’t know if y’all have heard of this, but I installed the Wolff Engineering steering column bearing and it tightened up my steering a ton…and then on the way back from my test drive the truck died as I pulled into the driveway. Definitely worse places to break down
I know the 83-84 stacked front clip is the favorite, but I love the look of the single headlights with the park lights right underneath from those years.