Method of modifying the roof of a vehicle to receive removable roof panels
AssigneeCars & Concepts, Inc.
InventorRichard R. Chrysler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A removable roof panel arrangement for motor vehicles and the method of installing such panels in which access openings to be covered by the panels are formed at opposite sides of the center of the vehicle body by completely cutting away a transverse section of the roof of the vehicle body and subsequently installing a central frame member which is attached to forward and rearward frame members through a reinforcing member. The construction retains the strength of the original body and the frame members form drainage troughs and support sealing members for engaging the removable panels which form secondary drainage systems to maintain the panels in weather tight relationship to the roof of the vehicle.
Claims6
The method of modifying the roof of a vehicle body to receive detachable panels in which the vehicle body has a roof of rigid material, the steps comprising;
- cutting the roof of the body transversely from the door space at one side of the vehicle body to the door space at the other side of the vehicle body along transversely extending lines spaced longitudinally of the vehicle body, removing the roof portion between said spaced lines, installing a frame member on the longitudinal center line of the vehicle body and fastening opposite ends of the frame member to the roof of said vehicle body adjacent to said transverse lines, respectively, to form a pair of panel receiving spaces in said body at opposite sides of said frame member.
The method of claim 13 in which the body member includes a liner within said body member, the steps of temporarily removing said liner prior to cutting of said rails and roof panel, cutting said liner material after installation of said central frame member to conform generally to the panel receiving spaces at opposite sides of said frame member, and attaching said liner to the perimeter of said openings formed by said central frame member and said forward and rearward frame members.
The method of modifying a vehicle body to receive detachable roof panels in which the vehicle body includes a relatively rigid roof having side rails extending longitudinally and rearwardly at opposite sides of said body from a windshield header, and a metal roof panel formed integrally with said side rails and with said windshield header, the steps comprising;
- cutting completely through said roof panel and said side rails along a pair of transverse lines, one of which extends adjacent to said windshield header and the other of which is spaced rearwardly of said one line, removing the portions of said roof and side rails between said lines from the remainder of the vehicle body, and positioning a frame member on the center line of the vehicle body and attaching opposite ends to said vehicle body adjacent said pair of transverse lines, respectively, to form panel receiving spaces at opposite sides of said frame member and between said transverse lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.