Transparent upper door frame

In a vehicle body having a side door opening and a door hingedly mounted to open and close the door opening, the improvement comprising:

• the vehicle door having a movable transparent window panel mounted on the door for movement between a lowered open position and a raised closed position, a transparent window frame panel rigidly mounted on the door and defining at least an upper edge portion of the door, and a transparent seal structure carried by at least one of the panels and effective to provide watertight transparent sealing between said window frame panel and said window panel.

In a vehicle body having a side door opening defined by a roof supported by a pillar, and a door hingedly mounted to open and close the door opening, the improvement comprising:

• a transparent window frame panel rigidly mounted on the door and extending along the pillar and along the roof to define a structurally rigid upper edge portion of the door, a transparent window panel movable mounted on the door for movement between a lowered open position stored within the door and a raised closed position providing a flush contiguous surface with the window frame panel, and a transparent seal structure carried by at least one of the panels and effective to provide watertight sealing between said window frame panel and said window panel.

In a vehicle body having a side door opening defined by a roof supported by a pillar, and a door hingedly mounted to open and close the door opening and having a transparent upper window portion and a structural lower portion, the improvement comprising:

• a transparent window panel movably mounted on the door for movement between a lowered open position stored within the door lower portion and a raised closed position defining a space between the window panel and the roof and the pillar, an arcuate shaped transparent window frame panel having a lower end fixedly mounted on the door lower portion and extending along the pillar and along the roof to define a structurally rigid upper edge portion of the door closing the space between the window panel and the roof and the pillar, and a strut extending vertically between the door lower portion and the window frame panel to support the window frame panel.