Importance

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Abstract

A modular assembly for separating a passenger compartment from an engine compartment in an automotive vehicle body comprises three structural cross car members that combine to provide sufficient cross car stiffness between the side pillars so as to eliminate any need for an upper cross car beam at the cowl of the vehicle body. The three structural cross car members include a front of dash panel, an intermediate close out panel and an instrument panel carrier that form two rows of ducts for meeting the needs of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system of the vehicle and the wiring requirements of the instrument panel. The instrument panel carrier is part of a covered instrument panel subassembly that includes a shell and an underlying foam cushion. The foam cushion is foamed in place in a mold that includes a slide and pivot mechanism for manipulating a mold lid and clamp between a closed clamped position and a shaping position where the molded subassembly is accessible for a shaping operation.

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First Claim