Abstract: An apparatus and method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing a vehicle with a hard top option where a hard top can be attached to the vehicle, a soft top option where a soft top can be attached to the vehicle, and a dual top option where either the hard top or the soft top can be attached to the vehicle. A hard top applique is provided for the hard top and a soft top applique is provided for the soft top, and a common set of fasteners is used to attach the hard top applique and the soft top applique to a pillar as needed to attach the hard top or soft top to the vehicle.

Abstract: A mounting assembly for securing a bracket, to which a side skirt may be attached to a frame of a wheeled container chassis semi-trailer. The assembly includes a support and at least one resilient securement member. A proximal end of the support may be mounted in a substantially outwardly transverse horizontal orientation to one side of the semi-trailer; a distal end secures the bracket in a position to maintain the side skirt in a substantially vertical configuration between the frame and a ground surface on which the semi-trailer is situated and substantially in line with the wheels on the one side of the semi-trailer. The securement members mount the support to the frame. The support may move relative to the frame in response to an applied force and is biased to return and maintain the support in the substantially outwardly transverse horizontal orientation when the force is removed.

Abstract: A vehicle hood seal and stopper assembly protects a hood, grill, grill insert, and headlight during closing of the hood. The seal and stopper assembly is secured to a lower surface of the hood and includes a primary seal member and a plurality of stopper members. The stopper members are integrally secured to a lower surface of the primary seal member and are provided in spaced apart locations along the primary seal member. The primary seal member is more resilient than the stopper members, and the stopper members serve to limit hood motion during over stroke of the hood. When the hood is closed, the stopper members are disposed between the hood and the grill insert, the forward surface of the seal member provides a continuous seal between the hood and the subjacent structure, and the seal and stopper assembly is disposed relatively behind a forward edge of the hood so as to be concealed.

Abstract: A vehicle hood seal and stopper assembly for protecting a hood, grill, grill insert, and headlight during closing of the hood. The seal and stopper assembly is secured to a lower surface of the hood and includes a primary seal member and a plurality of stopper members. The stopper members are integrally secured to a lower surface of said primary seal member and are provided in spaced apart locations along the primary seal member. The primary seal member is more resilient than the stopper members, and the stopper members serve to limit hood motion during over stroke of the hood. When the hood is closed, the stopper members are disposed between the hood and the grill insert, the forward surface of the seal member provides a continuous seal between the hood and the subjacent structure, and the seal and stopper assembly is disposed relatively behind a forward edge of the hood so as to be concealed.

Abstract: The connection comprises a window frame (5, 5′), which extends along the lower edge (1a) of the windshield (1), which is fastened to the bottom side (1b) of the windshield, and which forms a channel (5) extending essentially parallel to the lower edge (1a). A wedge (14, 24, 34, 44, 54) is inserted into the channel (5) of the window frame (5, 5′) and fixes a retaining connecting member (2a) of the water deflector (2) inside the channel (5). The wedge (14, 24, 34, 44, 54) is preferably provided in the form of a strip. The connection enables the water deflector (2) to be mounted more easily and quickly.

Abstract: A structure for positioning weather strips including a roughly L-shaped weather strip having a seal portion resiliently contacting a door formed integrally therewith. The weather strip is inserted into and attached to a sash which is located at a periphery of an opening of a vehicle body. A single garnish is provided in which no insert metal is internally incorporated. The single garnish is fixed at the sash corresponding to a side of the weather strip. A subseal is attached to the sash corresponding to an upper face of the weather strip in such a state where the subseal is in contact with the weather strip, and a clip is provided for fixing the weather strip at the subseal at a more upper position than a fixing position of the garnish.

Abstract: A weather strip is adhered to a vehicle by a double sided adhesive tape. The weather strip seals between the vehicle body and a door when the door is closed. The weather strip includes a first section extruded from a rubber material, which is vulcanized at a vulcanizing temperature. The weather strip also includes a second section molded from a thermoplastic elastomer at a temperature lower than the vulcanizing temperature. The adhesive tape is applied to the weather strip to span the first section and the second section. This permits a single piece of tape to be continuously applied to the weather strip, which is more efficient.

Abstract: A structural assembly at a front or rear of a vehicle frame includes a longitudinal member extending in a longitudinal direction of the frame. The longitudinal member has a part that extends at an angle to such longitudinal direction. A transverse member extends transversely of the longitudinally direction and includes a straight central part and an end part extending at an angle to the straight central part and at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the frame that is substantially equal to the angle of the part of the longitudinal member. The part of the longitudinal member and the end part of the transverse member are aligned and joined to form a nested joint that extends at the angle to the longitudinal direction of the frame. A side member extends in the longitudinal direction of the frame, and the nested joint is joined to the side member, thus forming a triple joint connection between the longitudinal, transverse and side members.

Abstract: A structure for use in attaching weather stripping to the body along the side of a roof of a vehicle body, and is especially useful around a door opening thereof. A molding that extends along the side of a roof for covering an outside surface of the weather strip is attached to the vehicle by securing a base portion of the molding to an outer part of the body wall defining the door opening. The weather strip has a bottom portion and a sealing portion. An outer part of the bottom portion is bonded to the base portion of the molding with a first double-sided adhesive tape, while an inner part of the bottom portion is bonded to the body wall defining the door opening with a second double-sided adhesive tape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for attaching a decorative molding strip to an open keyhole-shaped slotted passage terminating in a lock hole provided in a vehicle body flange upper edge. A T-like fastener, integrally molded of elastomeric material, has a block-shaped head joined to the backside of a molding member by a V-shaped stem. The head inboard surface and the molding backside form layered grooves therebetween on either side of the stem. The head has a base from which project pair of upstanding forked portions separated by a V-shaped compression notch. The notch terminates in a radiused root having upwardly diverging walls disposed at a predetermined acute angle. The stem has upwardly diverging arms from a juncture the interior walls of which define a root profile matching the notch root profile.

Abstract: A seal structure for sealing a gap between a front edge of an engine hood of a slant-nose type motor vehicle and an upper edge of a head lamp thereof. At the upper edge of the head lamp, there is provided a projection having a upwardly and rearwardly inclined front surface and a vertically extending rear surface. A top edge of the projection faces the front edge of the engine hood and is spaced therefrom to define a small gap. A seal member is attached to an upper surface of the head lamp in close contact with the rear surface of the projection. The seal member is composed of a base portion which preferably has an L-shaped cross-section, and a sealing portion extending obliquely rearwardly from an upper end of the base portion. The sealing portion of the seal member seals the small gap between the engine hood and the projection.

Abstract: A vehicular window assembly such as a front windshield in the preferred embodiment includes a window panel and a casing molded on a first portion of the peripheral edge of the window panel. A trim strip covers and finishes portions of the periphery of the assembly. The trim strip extends continuously without interruption from the window panel edge to a mounting rib on the casing through a transition area. The trim continues along the casing and is spaced from the window panel edge. When installed, the casing and trim strip fill the space between the window panel and vehicle body to reduce wind noise when the vehicle is moving and improve weather sealing around the window.

Abstract: A rear quarter window assembly (26) for use with a vehicle convertible top (20) is disclosed as including a first rear quarter window (34) movable between closed and open positions by a window regulator (36) and having a rear edge (38) that is spaced forwardly from the raised convertible top frame (22). A second rear quarter window (40) of the window assembly is mounted on the frame (22) of the convertible top for movement between closed and open positions as the convertible top frame is moved between raised and storage positions. This second rear quarter window (40) has a front edge (42) that seals with the rear edge (38) of the first rear quarter window. A seal (44) provides the sealing between the first and second rear quarter windows (34,40) at their rear and forward edges (38,42).

Abstract: A motorcycle has a frame assembly having at least a head pipe on which a front fork is steerably supported, a pair of laterally spaced main pipes of rectangular cross section extending rearwardly from the head pipe, and a rear fork swingably coupled to the main pipes, a front wheel rotatably supported on the front fork, a rear wheel rotatably supported on the rear fork, an engine disposed between the front and rear wheels and supported on the frame assembly, a fairing extending rearwardly from a position in front of the head pipe in covering relation to part of the engine and the frame assembly, and a pair of laterally spaced side covers disposed adjacent to and behind the fairing. The fairing has an upper end fastened to the main pipes. The main pipes on rear portions thereof brackets with bolt holes therein. The rear edge of the fairing and the front edges of the side covers are fastened together to the brackets.

Abstract: A clip device for fixing a window glass in a motor vehicle comprises a body side clip secured to the vehicle body at a position adjacent an outer peripheral edge of the window glass, a screw threadably coupled to the body side clip, a clip body fixed to the body side clip by means of the screw and having a forward end portion extending away from the screw for pressing the outer peripheral edge of the window glass, and a retainer tightened and fixed together with the clip body to the body side clip by means of the screw from the outside of the clip body. The forward end portion of the clip body is formed into a thin wall projection, and the forward end portion of said retainer is brought into contact with the outer surface of the forward end portion of the clip body and extends away from the screw and toward the center of the window glass farther than the forward end portion of the body. The window glass is pressed toward the vehicle body by means of the forward end portion of the retainer.

Abstract: A vehicle body sealing arrangement includes a primary weatherstrip having a carrier mounted to a door frame pinchweld and a weatherstrip mounted to the carrier and sealing against the inner wall of the door. A closeout strip includes a base portion releasably mounted to the carrier and a deflectable lip portion which engages the trim panel in the inner wall of the door to conceal the weatherstrip and the portion of the inner panel between the termination of the trim panel and such weatherstrip.

Abstract: The method of applying a glass flushly to a flanged window aperture comprises the steps of attaching resilient fixing clips (10), which have means (11) for attachment to the glass (4) and catch means (16) for locating positively on the window aperture flange, at spaced intervals around the periphery of the glass, applying a bead or beads of sealant (8) at least on the outwardly facing surface of the window aperture flange (1), locating the glass with the fixing clips attached in the window aperture and pressing down on to the sealant bead(s), and further pressing the glass home towards the flange until the fixing clips act under the applied pressure and against their resilience so as to deform intermediate sections B thereof sufficiently to permit their catch means to pass through the flange aperture, release of said further pressure permitting the fixing clips, due to their resilience, to restore into their original form and cause the catch means to locate behind said flange and thus positively hold the glas

Abstract: A sealing assembly for a front-pillar and side-door arrangement of an automotive vehicle, the pillar and door arrangement including a front pillar having a wall portion formed with an opening and a side-door sash assembly including a front portion extending along the front pillar and spaced apart from the wall portion of the pillar, the sealing assembly comprising a flexible sealing member having an inner portion attached to the front pillar and an outer portion warped from the outer portion and held in elastically pressing contact with the front portion of the side-door sash assembly, the sealing member being formed with an opening in the inner portion thereof, and a snap element having a head portion passed through the opening in the sealing member and a stem portion projecting into the front pillar through the opening in the wall portion of the pillar and smaller in cross sectional area than the head portion so that the head portion has adjacent to the stem portion an end face which is held in contact with

Abstract: A windowpane assembly comprising a molding clip inserted between the circumferential end face of the windowpane and the riser portion of the fillister formed on a vehicle body for fixing a window molding onto the windowpane. The molding clip comprises a holding portion fitted into the window molding, an elastic curved base portion, and a pair of L-shaped latch arms connected to the opposite ends of the base portion and extending so as to approach to each other. Before the molding clip is inserted between the windowpane and the riser portion of the fillister, the latch claws, formed on the tips of the latch arms, are engaged with the corresponding latch claws formed on the central portion of the base portion.

Abstract: A windowpane assembly comprising a molding clip inserted between the circumferential end face of the windowpane and the riser portion of the fillister formed on a vehicle body for fixing a window molding onto the windowpane. The molding clip comprises a holding portion fitted into the window molding, a pair of elastic wings, and a pair of latch claws. Before the molding clip is inserted between the windowpane and the riser portion of the fillister, the elastic wings are engaged with the corresponding latch claws. When the molding clip is inserted between the windowpane and the riser portion of the fillister, the elastic wings are automatically disengaged from the latch claws and come into engagement with the rear face of the windowpane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wind-proofing during inclement weather the connecting edges of a fabric top deployed on four-wheeled vehicles is set out, wherein the fabric top is conventionally secured to the frame of the vehicle by way of various fasteners, the interspaces between such fasteners being further secured by pile strips mounted on semi-rigid material adhesively attached to the vehicle. The corresponding segments of the fabric top are similarly provided with overlying loop strips sewn to the fabric, the loop engaging the pile in a manner similar to that achieved by the material structure commonly sold under the mark "VELCRO." It is intended to dispose such attachment strips at the wind-receiving locations in the vehicle, such as for example, at the leading edge of the door and at the attachment edges of the top.