‘46 wiper control questions

[Bruce_MO]

I’m restoring a ‘46 Mercury and I’m unclear how the wiper control knob assembly is put together. I assume it’s generally the same as a Ford. I know it’s supposed to go thru the bottom of the windshield division bar, and the pictures I’ve seen look to have a chrome spacer/bezel and nut that adapts to the curve at the bottom of the division bar, which would screw down just under the plastic knob. Does the control rack and cable simply sit on or above the inner lip of the cowl, with the dash panel on top of the cable? The dash is notched where the rack would sit, so it won’t interfere. But it looks like the dash could pinch the cable against the inner cowl lip. Another thing that’s throwing me off is the oval hole in the inner cowl lip right under where the wiper control sits. If I push the wiper control shaft up thru that hole from below, it seems that the control shaft (where the knob slips on) won’t stick out far enough to make it thru the division bar. When I bought my car, the wiper knob assy was stuck thru the hole for the radio antenna rod, about 1 1/2 inches behind the hole in the division bar.

I hope my descriptions make sense. Any help in getting this sorted out would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks