A lateral body panel covering for a passenger motor vehicle which covers the framework within the area between the front and/or rear vehicle ends and a lateral door opening; the area between a wheel casing and the door opening is thereby covered off by an independently detachable covering member which preferably consists of a non-metallic material.

The invention relates to a body for vehicles, as well as to vehicles carrying such a body, wherein the side surfaces of said body consist of modular elements assembled to one another, each of said modular element having an angle extension forming at least a portion of the roof of said body.

A window construction for vehicles such as motor coaches is disclosed which includes a window panel that overlaps on the exterior of the vehicle body at least one of the edge portions defining the window opening. In particular, the window includes a window panel which is mounted to the vehicle body and on the exterior thereof at least partly covers the edges of the vehicle body which define the window opening, especially the window jams. Mounting the window panel flush with an exterior surface of the vehicle body facilitates insulation and sealing of the window and allows placement of draft seals between the exterior surface of the vehicle body and the panel so that they do not protrude into the window opening. The hardware used to fasten the window panel to the vehicle body is affixed to the panel in a marginal portion which extends beyond the window opening so that the hardware does not protrude substantially into the window opening and into the field of view. The window panel includes a central portion for substantially covering the window opening and a marginal portion integral with and extending outwardly from the central portion for covering at least one of the edge portions defining the window opening, preferably at least one of the window jams. When the vehicle includes two or more adjacent windows separated by a post, generally the respective window jams, the marginal portions of the window panels for the adjacent openings cooperatively cover an outside surface of the post. With this construction, the panels provide a smooth substantially continuous outer surface uninterrupted by window jams or posts. This not only provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance from the outside of the vehicle, but also facilitates cleaning of the vehicle and reduces wind noise.

Apparatus and method for mounting a plastic panel upon an underlying metal substructure includes fixing the longitudinal location of one end of the plastic panel by machining a locating feature in the metal substructure at a precise location relative the adjacent body panel and then engaging an integrally molded locating element of the plastic panel with the machined locating feature. A screw is then installed between the plastic panel and the substructure. A mounting member for the rear portion of the plastic panel includes a first molded plastic block slidable on a support bracket of the substructure and having an integrally molded spring finger engaging the bracket to resiliently urge the mounting block to a certain longitudinal position on the metal substructure and a second mounting block which is connected thereto by a screw thread by which a rotation of the second mounting block establishes a mounting face thereon at a precise position transversely of the vehicle body for abutment by and support of the plastic panel in precise surface alignment with the adjacent body panel. The mounting face of the second mounting member provides a field for the drilling of a hole for receiving a fastener attaching the plastic panel to the mounting member. Accordingly, thermal or hygroscopic growth of the plastic panel induces longitudinal movement of the mounting member so that the plastic panel is movably supported for distortion-free growth relative the underlying metal substructure.

A bus side wall construction includes a skeletal member formed by a plurality of metallic members welded together and a plurality of window assemblies. The metallic members include a longitudinal roof member, a longitudinal lower member, a longitudinal upper member and a longitudinal waist member disposed between the longitudinal upper and lower members. Spaced vertical tubular members extend from the longitudinal waist member. Cross orientated tubular truss members extend between the longitudinal waist member and the longitudinal lower member. The window assemblies are positioned above the longitudinal waist member and supported by the vertical tubular members. An outer and inner skin covers the skeletal member from the longitudinal waist member and the longitudinal lower member. Insulation members are secured between the inner and outer skins.