Vehicle body assembly
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsAdam J. Rompage, Edward W. Bach, Kevin D. Helton, Steven U. Behm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle body assembly includes a frame having a forward frame part defining a passenger cabin and a rear frame part defining a load carrying bed. A separate rear fender is removably fastened to the rear frame part, wherein a gap is provided between the forward frame part and the rear fender. A separate rear fender fairing is mounted to an inside surface of the rear fender. The rear fender fairing includes a seal located in the gap and sealingly engaging both the forward frame part and the rear fender.
Claims20
A method of assembling and painting a vehicle body comprising:
- providing a unibody vehicle frame including a forward frame part including a passenger compartment and a rear frame part;
- removably securing a separate rear fender to the rear frame part of the unibody vehicle frame, wherein the rear fender partially defines a cargo box;
- applying an electrodeposition coating to the unibody vehicle frame with the rear fender mounted thereto;
- and
- painting the unibody vehicle frame with the rear fender mounted thereto.
The method of claim 3, further comprising installing a rear fender fairing having a seal provided thereon on the rear fender, wherein the seal of the rear fender fairing is positioned in the gap between the passenger compartment and the rear fender when the rear fender is removably secured to the rear frame part with the seal of the rear fender fairing sealingly engaging both the passenger compartment and the rear fender.
A method of assembling and painting a vehicle body comprising:
- providing a vehicle frame having a forward frame part defining a passenger cabin and a rear frame part defining a load carrying bed;
- removably securing a separate rear fender to the rear frame part of the vehicle frame;
- securing a side panel outer to the forward frame part to provide a gap between the side panel outer and the rear fender, the gap defining a separation between the passenger cabin and the load carrying bed;
- applying an electrodeposition coating to the vehicle frame with both the side panel outer and the rear fender mounted thereto;
- and
- painting the vehicle frame with both the side panel outer and the rear fender mounted thereto.
A method of assembling and painting a vehicle body comprising:
- providing a unibody vehicle frame having a forward frame part defining a passenger cabin and a rear frame part defining a load carrying bed;
- removably securing a separate rear fender to the rear frame part of the unibody vehicle frame;
- securing a side panel outer to the forward frame part to provide a gap between the side panel outer and the rear fender, the gap defining a separation between the passenger cabin and the load carrying bed;
- applying an electrodeposition coating to the unibody vehicle frame with both the side panel outer and the rear fender mounted thereto;
- and
- painting the unibody vehicle frame with both the side panel outer and the rear fender mounted thereto;
- and
- installing a rear fender fairing on a forward edge portion of the rear fender.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.