Coachwork

/ˈkoʊtʃwɜːrk/ noun

Definition

The body or outer frame of a vehicle, especially the part that was traditionally made of wood or metal panels.

Etymology

From 'coach' (a wheeled vehicle) + 'work' (crafted material). This term became common in the 19th century to describe the assembled body panels and framework of carriages and later automobiles.

Kelly Says

In the early 1900s, 'coachwork' was a specialized craft where artisans would spend weeks hand-fitting and painting a car's body—today's mass production does in hours what took craftsmanship to accomplish.

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