Sealing structure for an automotive vehicle with a sliding door

A sealing structure for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• a guide rail extending along a lower edge of a door opening in said vehicle, having an essentially C-shaped channel cross section including an inner vertical section, a lower horizontal section extending from the bottom of said inner vertical section, an upper horizontall section extending from the top of said inner vertical section, a lower outer vertical section extending from the outer end of said lower horizontal section and an upper outer vertical section extending from the outer end of said upper horizontal section;
• a sliding door having a configuration conforming to the configuration of at least part of said door opening;
• a slider mounted on said door adjacent the bottom thereof and slidably engaging said guide rail, whereby said guide rail slidingly guides said door into and out of said door opening;
• a side sill on the vehicle having an outer periphery, wherein said guide rail is rigidly secured to said outer periphery of said sill;
• a resilient sealing member along the lower edge of said door, said sealing member contacting a lower portion of said guide rail to establish a fluid-tight seal between said door and said lower outer vertical section of said guide rail when said door is slid into said door opening;
• and
• a weatherstrip attached to said side sill interiorly or said sealing member for establishing a water-tight seal between the side sill and the sliding door.