Body design:

Body design:

There are many body styles although they may look different all body shapes should slip through air with minimum resistance. There are three main types of body construction.

• Body and frame
• Unitised body
• Space frame

Today a few cars have separate body and frame. Trucks usually have this type of construction. The chasis usually includes everything except body.

The unitized body does not have a separate frame. The body panels are welded together. A short stub frame or engine cradle fastens under the bottom front of the body. This provides needed strength and mounting points for the engine, suspension and steering parts. The cradle and sub frame must be properly positioned to avoid a wheel alignment problem.

Space frame type of body construction is made of steel stampings welded together. This is similar to the tube chassis and roll cage in a race car. Plastic panels fasten to the space frame to complete the body. Most bodies are sheet steel shaped and then welded together. Some body parts and panels such as hood are aluminum a light metal. Other panels and even complete bodies are fiberglass or plastic.