Page 529 - Automotive Engineering Powertrain Chassis System and Vehicle Body

CHAP TER 1 6. 1 Terminology and overview of vehicle structure types

Fig. 16.1-19 Punt chassis (courtesy of Lotus Cars Ltd).

usually observed, depending on the stiffness of the The first mass produced true integral car bodies were
attachment. introduced in the 1930s. A notable example was the
Citroe ¨n 11 CV, shown in Fig. 16.1-21, which was in
production from 1934 to 1956.
16.1.2.2.7 Integral or unitary body structure An interesting study by Swallow in 1938 was made
The subject of this book, and the most widely used modern on another vehicle, the Hillman 10 HP, when the
car structure type, is the ‘integral’ (or ‘unitary’), spot structure was changed from separate body-on-chassis
welded, pressed steel sheet metal body. It is well suited to (1938 model year) to integral construction (1939
mass production methods. The body is self-supporting, so model), the vehicles being otherwise largely identical.
that the separate ‘chassis’ is omitted, with a saving in weight. Amongst other things, the torsional behaviour was

Fig. 16.1-20 Perimeter space frame (courtesy of Audi UK Ltd).

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