Under dash left vent

[fast fredy]

Hi guys another question for you . I was under the dash today conteplating installing kick panel and I noticed that the fresh air vent is blocked off behind the vent grille with what looks like thin tar paper This is original , Is there some reason on my country sedan it would be that way ? It has a cable on the dash thats marked left vent and the cable works the flap in the left vent of the fender Can I remove the tar paper and take advantage of the fresh air? thanks Fred I can see no mention of this vent in the shop manual

 

[Daves55Sedan]

I doubt the tar paper is factory installed. May have been added by previous owner after the rubber cracked off the damper inside the air duct, allowing freezing air to enter the cockpit during the winter, even when the valve is closed. So the owner took the register off and cut out a piece of roofing felt and sandwiched it in between cowl and register, blocking the cold air from entering the cabin.
Bad thing is, there's no left air during summer either, unless he removed it every summer and re-installed it every winter.

 

[fordor41]

..or the bottom of the vent is rusted out and he was trying to keep water out.

 

[Gene F]

Tar paper added by a previous owner that wanted to park the car outside.