Body-on-frame is an automobile construction method. Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame that supports the drivetrain was the original method of building automobiles, and its use continues to this day. The original frames were made of wood (commonly ash), but steel ladder frames became common in the 1930s. It is technically not comparable to newer monocoque designs, almost no modern vehicle uses it (other than trucks).
In the USA the frequent changes in automobile design made it necessary to use a ladder frame rather than monocoque to make it possible to change the design without having to change the chassis, allowing frequent changes and improvements to the car's bodywork and interior (where they were most noticeable to customers) while leaving the chassis and driveline unchanged, and thus keeping cost down and design time short. It was also easy to use the same chassis and driveline for several very different cars. Especially in the days before computer-aided design, this was a big advantage.[1]
Most small passenger vehicles switched to monocoque construction in the 1960s, but the trend had started in the 1930s with cars like the Opel Olympia, and Citroen Traction Avant leaving just trucks, some bus manufacturers and large cars using conventional frames. The switch continued for several decades - even small SUVs typically use this construction method today. Body-on-frame remains the preferred construction method for heavy-duty commercial vehicles, especially those intended to carry or pull heavy loads, such as trucks. The Ford Crown Victoria, which was discontinued in 2011 was the last passenger car to be built in this manner.
A halfway house to full monocoque construction was the 'semi-monocoque' used by the Volkswagen Beetle and Citroen 2CV. These used a lightweight separate chassis made from pressed sheet steel panels forming a 'platform chassis', to give the benefits of a traditional chassis, but with lower weight and greater stiffness. Both of these chassis were used for several different models. Volkswagen made use of the bodyshell for structural strength as well as the chassis - hence 'semi-monocoque'.
The Lincoln Town Car dominates the American limousine market because it is the last American luxury car made with body-on-frame, and therefore easily lengthened for livery work.
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