Reinforced construction for rear wheel housing in automobile, and restraint device for use in same

A reinforcing construction in combination with rear wheel housings of an automobile having suspension towers positionable on the right and left side portions of a body of the automobile, comprising:

• a connection member having engagement portions at the axial two ends and extended between the right and left suspension towers;
• a first restraint device mounted on one of said right and left rear wheel housings to restrain one of said two engagement portions of said connection member;
• and
• restraint means mounted on the other of said right and left rear wheel housings to restrain the other of said two engagement portions of said connection member;
• wherein said first restraint device includes two lock levers independently and swingably supported on said rear wheel housing and capable of releasing and restraining one of said engagement portions of said connection member, each of the two lock levers having an inclined surface to come into frictional contact with one of said engagement portions when the two lock levers swing so as to restrain one of said engagement portions, and wherein said two inclined surfaces are inclined such that, as the swinging amounts of said lock levers toward restraining one of said engagement portions increase, the frictional force against said engagement portion gradually increases, and that inclination directions in a widthwise direction of the car body are opposite to each other.