Heater hose pipe thing?

[Julien Abrahams]

After removing the air cleaner from my '54, I noticed this pipe thing which is connected inline with the heater hose for the drivers side heater. Is this suppose to be there? AsI am going to replace all rubber fuel and heater hoses (as they have been on there for at least 20 years), I was wondering. The only thing that I can think of is that the previous owner was worried about the hose.rubbing against the windshield wiper vacuum motor.
I took to pictures. It is the blue thing connected inline with the heater hose.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Probably one part of the hose was bad and the previous owner replaced only the defective bit and needed the connector...If you are replacing the heater hoses, don't use the connector again.