Method of assembling a vehicle

Abstract

A method of vehicle assembly (10) comprises the step (A) of fabricating a vehicle body (12) having a floor (14) and door (16) openings and roof pillars (18) defining window openings (20), and a roof (17) supported on the pillars (18) and defining a roof opening (22). The following step (B) includes placing the body (12) on a vehicle chassis (24) followed by the step (E) through (I) of inserting interior components (26) through the opening (22) in the roof (17) and securing the components (26) to the interior of the vehicle body (12). The final step (G) of the assembly includes placing a roof panel (38) on the roof (17) to close the opening (22) therein after the interior components (26) are inserted through the opening (22). The method (10) of vehicle assembly of the present invention will provide new, efficient, and economical method for assembling automotive vehicles that will reduce assembly time and will not be labor intensive.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.