62 Section 1 Introduction to Collision Repair
all vehicles have a header panel. The header is usually
made of rigid plastic and is bolted in place.
Fenders are the outer body panels located between
the front doors and the front bumper. They surround
the front wheel openings and conceal front suspension
components. Fenders may be made of steel or plastic.
A fender may have a single skin or consist of inner and
outer panels. The fender flange is the portion of the
fender that is covered by the hood. Fenders are usually
bolted in place.
The hood covers the engine compartment and d
is generally made of steel, aluminum, or rigid plastic.
The hood is bolted to hinges that allow it to be opened
and closed. A striker and latch secure the hood when it
Reinforcement
Impact
absorber
Fascia
Figure 3-13. This bumper assembly consists of a plastic
fascia, a reinforcement, and an impact absorber. (Toyota)
is closed. Some vehicles have a cowl vent panel. The cowl
vent panel is located to the rear of the hood and is bolted l
in place. The panel may be made of steel or rigid plastic.
The roof covers the passenger compartment. Roofs f
are generally made of steel, but a few vehicles have a
rigid plastic roof. A roof is welded in place and has bows
for reinforcement.
A door has hinges that allow it to open and close, r
providing access to the passenger compartment. A striker
and latch keep the door closed. The outer door panel, or
door skin, can be repaired if damaged. The entire door,
or door shell, can also be replaced. Door hinges may be
bolted or welded in place.
The rocker panel is located under the door openings. l
On unibody vehicles, the rocker panel is a structural part.
A structural rocker panel is a metal channel consisting
of inner and outer panels with an internal reinforcement.
Rocker panels are made out of steel. Ground effects may
cover the rocker panel and are added to a vehicle for style.
Pickup trucks and vans may have running boards mounted
under the rocker panel. Running boards may be aluminum
or plastic, while ground effects are usually plastic.
The quarter panels form the sides of the vehicles’
body behind the side doors and surround the rear wheel
openings. They can be made of steel or plastic. Steel
quarter panels are welded in place. The quarter panel
meets the roof at the sail panel. The sail panel connects l
the roof and the quarter panel.
The deck lid covers the trunk opening. It is hinged, d
allowing it to open and close, and is held closed by a
latch and striker. Deck lids may be made out of steel
or aluminum. Some vehicles have a rear hatch. A rear
hatch is similar to the deck lid but contains the rear
glass and is made from steel or rigid plastic. It is also
hinged and bolted in place. See Figure 3-14.
Figure 3-14. The rear hatch is similar to the deck lid, but it contains the rear window glass. (Toyota)
Rear hatch