[DeTomaso] Heater control valve

[tmshinro at aol.com]

John Buckman sent me pictures of two types of heater valves (THANKS JOHN!).   One was the typical lever type but the other was exactly what is on my car.   It has a rod that goes in and out of the valve body that is controlled by a pivot arm on the mounting bracket that is attached to the cable wire.  The valve body has the Ford logo on the top.   I have several questions concerning this valve to test the brain trust.

1.  Is this the original factory part?
2.  Is this part unique to the Pantera or was it used on other Ford cars?  
3.  Is this part still available?
4.  Is this the part with the bad history of not closing all the way, or is that the lever type that has that problem?  Or are they both bad that way?
5.  Can this type of valve be rebuilt?

Tom