Chrysler Corporation

Peter D Greb

Robert M Schoen

Rickie A North

A clip and bracket fastening arrangement for attaching a free end portion of a plastic facia fender panel member support wall to a subjacent rail of an automotive vehicle frame enabling controlled distortion free thermal expansion and contraction of the support wall relative to the metal frame. An attaching arrangement elongated retaining clip is fixed to the outboard surface of the support wall and the bracket adjustably mounted on the frame. The retaining clip, stamped from sheet metal, comprises an elongated web defining a clearance slot with the support wall. The bracket is double-L shaped defining a vertical head plate provided with a lower inboard extending base plate and an upper outboard extending step flange. The bracket is captured in a clearance slot defined by the clip web portion offset a predetermined dimension from the support wall outboard facing surface.

Plastic fender retainer arrangement

A clip and bracket retainer arrangement for attaching a plastic panel to the subjacent frame of an automotive vehicle enabling controlled distortion free thermal expansion and contraction of the plastic panel relative to the frame. The attaching arrangement includes a retaining clip fixed on an outboard surface of a panel support wall and an L-sectioned bracket comprising a vertical head plate and a horizontal base plate mounted to the frame. The retaining clip, having a U-shape in horizontal cross section, comprises an elongated web formed with foot portion at each end of the clip web. The pair of foot portions extend out of the plane of the web for engagement with the support wall outboard surface defining an elongated slotted clearance therewith. The bracket head plate has a rectangular aperture intermediate its ends defining a forward plate portion adapted for captured in the slotted clearance permitting vertical and longitudinal distortion free thermal growth of the plastic panel and clip relative to the bracket and vehicle frame.

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Peter D Greb