What is the lever for? 53 merc

So I was replacing a fuse under the dash and found this knob that the previous owner cut out.
I opened the hood and found that it connects to this lever coming out of the firewall

and is attached to a stronger piece. Wtf is this for?

Thanks,
George


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

it's connected to the round can thing, isn't it?

 

I can't tell what it's connected too


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

My 53 Ford had a w/s washer pump similar to that but it was mounted further down on the toe board.
Tony

 

Hmm, that would make sense. I do have some sort of reserve tank in the driver side inner fender but it's not hooked up to anything. I don't have a kick down switch so I know it's not OD. Thanks


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Solo, I don't know what that part connected to, but if you have power brakes the tank in the fender may be the reserve for those. That how my lincolns are. Jack

 

manual ch***is lube ?

 

You said you did not have OD, but in 60 years of life, the Merc may have one time had OD. It looks like it would work good for that.

 

Does the linkage go anywhere beyond what's pictured?

Never know what a previous owner may have added at some point.
If you can't figure it out, just tell everyone it's the oil slick dump valve from the cars days as a moonshine runner.

 

I'm still running stock breaks so it's not a power break reserve. There's no kick down switch under the gas peddle and no hole in the floor board for one so I don't think it's that. I'll try and get a shot of under the car soon and post it up. The lever seems to run under the driver side floor board.

 

I see clutch linkage,,,am I wrong?

 

The photo didn't show up. Can you try posting it again.

 

It's not part of an original overdrive.

 

mine does not have that, mine has always been an automatic

 

It's a hill stopper. You come to a stop on an incline, press the brakes, push the ****on, then you can take your foot off the brake and as long as you have the ****on pressed, it will hold the car. Then you can let the clutch out and lift off the ****on for a "no roll back" start on a hill.
kind of like an old time Line Lock.

 

In the interior photo, the white ****on is to the left and higher than the clutch pedal.
In the engine compartment photo, the clutch linkage is dead center, and there's a canister with the rubber hose to the right and higher than the clutch linkage.

Judging from the round ****on sitting in a poorly cut square hole, it looks like somebody added a windshield washer pump.