TRADE OF VEHICLE BODY REPAIR - eCollege

Module 3– Unit 4
The rear end of the floor is stiffened transversely by the rear seat
heelboard (5). This heelboard also stiffens the front edges of the
rear seat panel. In addition it often provides the retaining lip for the
rear seat cushion, which is usually made detachable from the body.
The heelboard, together with the rear panel and rear squab panel,
forms the platform for the rear seat.
The rear seat panel (6) is reinforced or swaged if necessary to gain
enough strength to support the rear passenger. Usually the rear seat
panel has to be raised to provide sufficient clearance for the
deflection of the rear axle differential housing. The front edge of
the rear seat panel is stiffened by the rear seat heelboard and the
rear edge of the seat panel is stiffened by the rear squab panel. The
rear squab panel completes this unit and provides the rear bulkhead
across the car. It seals off the boot or luggage compartment from
the main body or passenger compartment.
The boot floor (7), which extends from the back of the rear squab
panel to the extreme back of the body, completes the floor unit. In
addition to the luggage the spare wheel has to be accommodated
here. The front edge of the boot floor is reinforced by the rear
squab panel and the rear end by a cross member of some form (8).
The sides of the floor are stiffened by vertical boot side panels at
the rear, while the wheel arch panels complete the floor and its side
members. The wheel arch panels (9) themselves seal the rear road
wheels from the body.
In general the floor unit is made up from a series of panels with
suitable cross members or reinforcements. The edges of the panels
are stiffened either by flanging reinforcing members, or by joining
to the adjacent panels. The boot framing is joined at the back to the
rear end of the boot floor, at the sides to the boot side panels and at
the top to the shelf panel behind the rear squab (10). It has to be
sufficiently strong at the point where the boot lid hinges are fitted
to carry the weight of the boot lid when this is opened. Surrounding
the boot lid opening there is a gutter to carry away rain water to
prevent it entering the boot; opposite the hinges, provision is made
for the boot lid lock striking plate (11) to be fixed. From the
forward edge of the boot, the next unit is the back light and roof
structure (12) and this extends to the top of the windscreen or
canopy rail (13). The roof is usually connected to the body side
frames, which comprise longitudinal rails or stringers and a pair of
cantrails which form the door openings (14). Provision in the roof
should be made for the interior trimming. The scuttle and
windscreen unit, including the front standing pillar or A-post (15),
provides the front bulkhead and seals the engine from the
passenger compartment.
Vehicle Body Repairs - Phase 2 46