Convertible vehicle body structure

Claim 1

A convertible vehicle body comprising: a body structure having a front windshield, side panels defining a side belt line at upper edge portions thereof, a passenger compartment provided in the body structure located rearward of said front windshield and between said side panels, a roof structure including a rigid front roof panel section and a rigid rear roof panel section, rear tire housings formed in said body structure for providing spaces for rear wheels, a front storing section provided in said body structure and located at least partially forwardly of said rear tire housings and rearward from said passenger compartment for storing said rigid front roof panel section, a rear storing section provided in said body structure and located at least partially rearwardly of said rear tire housings, a swingable pillar connected with said front roof panel section and having legs pivotably connected with said side panels for movement together with said front roof panel section between an erected position wherein said front roof panel section is engaged at a front edge portion with said front windshield and a retracted position wherein said swingable pillar means and said front roof panel section are stored in said front storing section, guide means provided in said rear storing section for guiding said rigid rear roof panel section into said rear storing section, said guide means being inclined downwardly and rearwardly, slide means connected with said rear roof panel section and movable along said guide mans so that said rear roof panel section is movable between an extended position wherein said rear roof section is engaged at a front edge portion with an upper side of a rear edge portion of said front roof panel section and a retracted position wherein said rear roof panel section is retracted into said rear storing section, said guide means including a pair of substantially parallel guide rails, one of said guide rails being positioned rearwardly of the other of said guide rails, said rear roof panel section being provided at a lower end portion with sliding plates having sliding shoes respectively engaged with said guide rails, said one guide rail including a body portion extending rearwardly and downwardly and an upper bent portion extending toward said other guide rail and then away from said other guide rail in a substantially vertical direction, a front end portion of said rear roof panel section being moved upwardly and rearwardly when moved from said extended position to said retracted position by movement of a respective one of said sliding shoes in said upper bent portion of said one guide rail.