Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a vehicle hood including fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) panels is provided. The vehicle hood includes a fiber reinforced plastic hood outer panel bonded to a fiber reinforced plastic hood inner panel including a pair of depressions extending toward the hood outer panel. Each depression includes a projection extending away from the hood outer panel which is aligned with a hood bumper. The bonded hood outer panel and hood inner panel define a hood assembly which includes mechanisms for attachment to a vehicle, the mechanisms including a pair of hinge assemblies, a latch assembly, and a latch reinforcement member. Metal reinforcement members may be secured to the hood inner panel for structural reinforcement of the hood assembly.

Abstract: A one-piece cast suspension mounting spring pocket having a circular, radially contoured disk portion and having a plurality of flanges is disclosed. The disk portion serves as a spring pocket and prevents a spring from radial movement. The flanges are parallel to and spaced from one another, and are generally perpendicular to the disk portion of the one-piece cast member. One or more of the flanges intersects a frusto-conical formation which is radially centered in the disk portion, the intersecting flange conforming to and bowing with the frusto-conical formation. The structural integrity of the one-piece cast spring pocket is improved when compared to the currently produced multi-piece spring pockets by having the flange intersect the frusto-conical section.