Holding gage assemblies for use in measuring vehicle panels

A method of supporting vehicle panel assemblies of different lengths, the method comprising:

• supporting a first vehicle panel assembly having a first length on a holding gage assembly comprising horizontally aligned datum locations of a first set of datum members that support the first vehicle panel assembly thereon, the holding gage assembly comprising:
• a gage body formed of multiple, interconnected rails comprising a first upper cross-rail extending longitudinally along a first length of the gage body at one side of the gage body, a second upper cross-rail extending parallel to and alongside of the first upper cross-rail at an opposite side of the gage body and a third upper cross-rail that is parallel to the first upper cross-rail and the second upper cross-rail and spaced longitudinally therefrom, the first set of datum members connected to and extending outwardly from the first upper cross-rail and the second upper cross-rail, the third upper cross-rail comprising a second set of datum members that are connected to and extend outwardly from the third upper cross-rail;
• clamping the first vehicle panel using a clamp arm mounting structure comprising a clamp arm that is part of the holding gage assembly to fix a longitudinal position of the first vehicle panel assembly;
• and
• supporting a second vehicle panel assembly having a second length that is greater than the first length on the datum locations of the first set of datum members, the second vehicle panel assembly extending longitudinally beyond the datum locations of the first set of datum members to at least one datum location of the second set of datum members.