Patent ID: 7686386

Claim:
An automotive body and trim assembly comprising: a body frame pillar having multiple sheet metal layers; wherein one of the sheet metal layers has a fore-aft-locating feature and a cross-car-locating feature; and a pillar trim member having a fore-aft-positioning feature and a cross-car-positioning feature spaced relative to one another to permit the fore-aft-positioning feature to contact the fore-aft-locating feature and the cross-car-positioning feature to contact the cross-car-locating feature when the pillar trim member is assembled with the body frame pillar such that the sheet metal layer having the fore-aft-locating feature and the cross-car-locating feature determines the fore-aft and cross-car position of the pillar trim member when the pillar trim member is assembled with the body frame pillar; wherein the multiple sheet metal layers include an inner sheet metal layer, an outer sheet metal layer and a reinforcement layer between the inner sheet metal layer and the outer sheet metal layer; wherein the sheet metal layer having the fore-aft-locating feature and the cross-car-locating feature is the outer sheet metal layer; wherein the outer sheet metal layer has an inboard edge running lengthwise along the frame pillar further inboard than the inner sheet metal layer and the reinforcement layer; wherein the inboard edge of the outer sheet metal layer is the cross-car-locating feature; wherein the inner sheet metal layer and the reinforcement layer are characterized by recesses exposing a rear surface of the outer sheet metal layer; and wherein the exposed rear surface of the outer sheet metal layer is the fore-aft-locating feature.