i have a 87 Dakota single cab short bed 4 wheel drive with a 3.9 liter. i recently purchased this truck and there is a lever that says vent to the left of the steering wheel. its probably just something simple. but what dose that lever do?

 

That is an outside air vent that lets fresh outside air in through the kick panel down there. These were commonly on older trucks. I had an old suburban with these. These were slowly phased out just like wing windows

 

I miss wing windows!!