Heater control valve cable puzzler

[commando1]

I've spent the last week repairing the HVAC in my 67 Newport w/A.C.
One of the problems was that the temperature control lever was binding up.
I disassembled everything. Lubed cables. Check for kinks. Cables & levers worked smoothly and easily. Reassembled. Still binding up.

Look at the picture.

The blue is the original cable routing, Makes ZERO sense.
From control lever to a pivot arm to the valve. Two 180 degree bends and a 90 degree bend. Two cables. The pivot arm serves no purpose. It doesn't open or close any doors or operate anything. It's just a connecting pivot point. I did a WTF.

The red is how I rerouted the cable.
From control arm to valve. One cable. One smooth arc.

The cable operation now works perfectly.

PUZZLER: Why did they originally do that Rube Goldberg setup?
I just don't understand it.
What am I missing??

 

[tallhair]

Are you sure the pivot arm is not connected to a flapper inside the airbox if that's where it is mounted?

A pic of where the pivot arm and valve are might help. Is the valve in the cockpit or under the hood?

another idea .. to minimize holes or points in the firewall where cable go through the firewall

 

[70NPORT]

Makes sense to me to get rid of everything that is not needed, if it's not needed. You did the right thing (although TH has a good point).

 

[commando1]

Are you sure the pivot arm is not connected to a flapper inside the airbox if that's where it is mounted?

Absolutely 1,000% sure it is NOT connected to anything what so ever. It is just an arm on a bracket mounted to the heater box. The opening to the heater box is right under it. It is not, I repeat, not connected to anything.

It's not the thermostat...

A pic of where the pivot arm and valve are might help.

Too late. It's all buttoned up now. You'll just have to trust me.

Is the valve in the cockpit or under the hood?
Inside and mounted on the firewall.

another idea .. to minimize holes or points in the firewall where cable go through the firewall

See above.


See what I mean? It makes no sense.

 

[commando1]

Even the books don't show that pivot where I marked X in the pic.
And you can see from its location you can look inside the heater box right where it's located.

 

[commando1]

I wanted to show you guys the pivot lever so I went back in:

I don't like eliminating stuff when I don't know its function.
It's neurotic but it's how I get through life.