I can't figure out what this is and why it's so corroded. It resides in the seam between the trunk lid and the convertible top lid. Center of the car. There's nothing else on the entire car...even underneath...that has a speck of rust on it, but this thing looks heavily corroded and touched up by a previous owner. I'm stumped as to its puprose.

Looks like the hinge for the toneau cover to me.

Reasonable guess, but the hinges are on the sides and this is in the center. It doesn't seem to do anything for the tonneau or the trunk...but it sure does look purposeful. Someone designed it and installed it to do something...

Do you have a power top? May be for hydraulic ram to lift cover. Just guessing.

Hmmm...I don't have a power top...seems plausible.

I give up! It seems like a lot of metal just to hold a rubber snubber for the cover. Hey I'm a poet and didn't know it!

Hmm never noticed it on my Vert. I will check it out this weekend.

It is the bumper to adjust the tonneau cover to trunk lid to make them level.

I took a look at my '07 vert. Mine looks a little different. It has just a touch of rust on the edge. I believe the part is there to give extra support to the center of the tonneau. When it's closed, if you push down on the tonneau on either side of that brace, it deflects a little. However, it won't deflect if you push down on the center. Imaging someone sitting up there (parade?). Without that extra suppprt they'd probably crack the tonneau.

Well...apparently mine has spent several years at the bottom of the ocean. If I can figure out how to remove it, I'll sand blast it and hit it with some paint.

Been to west Africa lately? Could be Ebola !!!!!!!!!