choke cable removal?

[fcgadget]

there's an auto choke on the carb. There's a choke cable pull knob on the dash. The pull knob doesn't pull, but it does turn.
I don't have any choke tube coming out at the back through the shroud or the 'firewall', just the accelerator tube.

The fuel line is down low and to the side.

my question is; how is the choke cable attached to the pull knob? If it wasn't bound up somewhere would it just pull all the way out?

I'd like to replace the non functioning knob with another switch or knob, but don't want to just cut the tube behind the knob if there's any chance of leaving it intact for some future purpose...

[Snort]

Read this:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=333302

Your knob on the dash is threaded onto a threaded shaft which is attached to your choke cable wire or choke cable. That wire has a spiral sheathing around it just like a lawn mower throttle control cable. That spiral sheathing runs forward towards the gas tank, then inside a metal tube which runs the length of the chassis tunnel which ends right next to your accelerator cable tube left of the transmission. They tend to get rusted up inside the tube tunnel and people cut them off and do various other bad things to them and generally cursing ensues.

Mine was in a similar state for probably 30 years before I finally fixed it, many others are in the same situation. Perseverance and patience are the order of the day.