Patent ID: 6942277

Claim:
A vehicle body structure comprising: a vehicle body including a vertically extending door mounting pillar with a vehicle interior facing side and a vehicle exterior facing side, the door mounting pillar having an inner side wall disposed on the vehicle interior facing side, an outer side wall disposed on the vehicle exterior facing side, a pair of connecting end walls extending between the inner and outer side walls to define a hollow interior space, and an exterior wall portion disposed adjacent one of the connecting end walls in an area outside of the hollow interior space; a door swingably mounted to the door mounting pillar of the vehicle body to move between a closed position and an open position; and a door hinge assembly mounted between the door mounting pillar and the door to swingably mount the door to the door mounting pillar for movement between the closed position and the open position, the door hinge assembly being fastened at interior fastening points on the inner side wall of the door mounting pillar and at exterior fastening points on the exterior wall portion of the door mounting pillar.