A vehicle body panel arrangement includes a first panel having a bight portion provided with a terminal flange and a second panel having an edge portion resiliently held against the flange of the first panel by a deflectable portion of a clip mounted to the first panel. The clip also includes an abutment adjustable relative to the flange of the first panel to define a throat guiding insertion of the edge portion of the second panel into engagement with the flange of the first panel.
A first plastic body panel has an appearance panel with an appearance surface and an adjoining edge. The body panel has a tongue projecting from the adjoining edge generally parallel and recessed from the appearance surface. The tongue has an appearance side and a hidden side with the hidden side having a plurality of ribs. A second plastic body panel has an appearance panel with an appearance surface and an adjoining edge. The second plastic body panel has an inboard "L" shaped flange spaced and generally parallel to the appearance panel at the adjoining edge. The appearance panel and the flange of the second body panel define a slot at the adjoining edge for receiving the tongue of the first plastic body panel for slideably connecting the panels with the ribs of the tongue engaging the inboard "L" shaped flange. The appearance surfaces are coplanar at the adjoining edges whereby the panels can move relative to each other while maintaining the appearance surfaces coplanar at the adjoining edges.
A rail vehicle includes a body with side walls having a frame including supporting beams for absorbing vertical forces and longitudinal beams extending horizontally. Panelling is disposed on the inner side and the outer side of the frame and attached to the longitudinal beams. Additionally, windows are disposed in the side walls and framed by the supporting and the longitudinal beams. The supporting beams extend obliquely to the longitudinal beams and engage in the respective recesses of the longitudinal beams.
A thermoformed thermoplastic panel has three V-shaped protrusions which extend into engagement with the ramped depressions within a truck tailgate to automatically align the upper edge of the panel with the rail cap of the tailgate. The panel forms a protective cover for the tailgate and is held in place by screws having large, wide, flat heads which overlie the upper surface of the cover. The screws have shanks which have a nonthreaded portion adjacent to the head and a tapered, threaded portion at the end. The screws are tightened to bring the tailgate cover upper edge adjacent to the tailgate cap.
A method for attaching a cosmetic body panel to a composite cargo box without inclusion of a conventional integral lip. The cargo box sidewalls are formed without integral lips. A metallic lip member is bonded to the peripheral top rail at the top of the sidewalls, wherein the lip member is configured so as to mimic the surface contour (geometry) of a conventional integral lip, including the slot, notches and wedge shape thereof for like attaching of a cosmetic body panel thereto.
A sunroof panel structure for substantially closing a sunroof aperture in a vehicle. The sunroof panel structure includes a sunroof panel member having a plurality of edges and a weatherstrip mounting flange. The weatherstrip mounting flange and the sunroof panel member are unitarily formed such that the weatherstrip mounting flange is coupled to at least one of the plurality of edges. The weatherstrip mounting flange is configured to receive a weatherstrip seal member without the use of adhesives or other bonding agents or mechanisms. A method for forming a sunroof assembly for an automotive vehicle is also provided.
