[old_tv_nut]

Manufacturing practice was to make a prototype agreed on by the engineering and production departments, and install it on the assembly line for physical comparison. The prototypes could range from individual modules to complete chassis in a plastic housing to illustrate it completely finished including things like lead dress of the wiring. No deviation was allowed whether it was actually important or not.

So in some cases, lead length was just a matter of neatness, and in others it had an effect on performance. Wiring harness lead dress could be important if it affected issues like jail bars, or it could just be an issue of neatness or easy order of assembly. And of course there were also consideration of tie-downs for long leads and heavy components to prevent breakage during vibration and shipping tests.

You can see these kind of considerations in the old Heathkit assembly manuals, where you are told to connect this or that but not solder it yet because something else will be added in the net step.