Modular vehicle body and method of building same

Claim 1

A vehicle structure comprising: an engine compartment module having an engine compartment assembly and equipment including an engine, suspension and an electronic control system therefor, said engine compartment assembly constituting an independent vehicle body section and having a cowl box and a dash lower panel at the rear end thereof; a floor module having a floor assembly and equipment including a rear axle and suspension, said floor assembly constituting an independent vehicle body section and having a front floor panel and rear floor panel; a rear end module having a rear end assembly and equipment, said rear end assembly constituting an independent vehicle body section and having a rear end panel; a pair of body side modules each having, though symmetrical about a vehicle body longitudinal axis, a vehicle body side assembly and equipment, said body side assembly constituting an independent body section and having a front pillar, rear pillar, side sill and a roof side rail; a roof module having a roof assembly and equipment, said roof assembly constituting an independent vehicle body section and having a roof panel; and mechanical fastening means for mechanically fastening said engine compartment assembly, floor assembly, rear end assembly, body side assemblies and roof assembly together; said engine compartment assembly having a hood ledge panel at each lateral end thereof, said body side assembly having a dash side member projecting forwardly from a lower end of said front pillar end fastened to said hood ledge panel by said mechanical fastening means; each of said body side assemblies further having a flange projecting laterally from said lower end of said front pillar, said engine compartment assembly further having a reinforcement member fastened at an upper end to said cowl box and at the lower end to said dash side member by said fastening means, said reinforcement member having at a rear end a flange fastened to said flange of said body side member by said mechanical fastening means.