Patent ID: 6862809

Claim:
A process for manufacturing a road-bound vehicle body with a roof unit having an outer skin and an inward facing ceiling with a ceiling frame, and a basic structure having longitudinal frames and front and rear cross members, the ceiling and the outer skin along with the basic structure having corresponding joining configurations that mate the ceiling and outer skin to the basic structure, the process comprising the sequential steps of: mating the ceiling frame to the longitudinal frames; introducing the ceiling through an opening in the basic structure for a rear or a front window; moving the ceiling upwardly into contact with the corresponding joining configurations of the basic structure for connection on at least one of the longitudinal frames and the front and rear cross members; fixing the ceiling in place; placing the outer skin above the corresponding joining configurations of the basic structure; lowering the outer skin onto the corresponding joining configurations of the basic structure for connection to the longitudinal frames and onto the front and rear cross members; and permanently fixing the outer skin to the longitudinal frames and the front and rear cross members.