Apocalypse II!

[podmo]

Howdy, all:

The tear down of the rear third of the '72 Compact continues. The amount of corruption just beneath the skin is astonishing. I am again heartened, however, that anything that I do will represent a vast structural improvement.

I was also amazed that the condition of the plywood floor and of the 2x4s that make up the sill for attaching the walls was as structurally sound as I found it to be. The only terrible rot was at the right rear corner (see photo) under the luggage hatch.

This raises a question...

The 2x4 that makes up the rear sill is amazingly intact and free of rot. It is 40 some-odd years old. This is good and bad; it was probably better lumber that what is currently available in construction fir, but it has seen 4 decades of water, road salt, etc. Should I retain this sill, or replace it with new, waterproofed fir lumber? I will already have to replace the sill members on the sides.

And another question...

The remaining plywood for the floor looks great!. The unsalvageable part has been sawn off, and discarded. How should I replace it? Water-treated plywood, alone? Plywood over a water-treated sound board (like Celotex or equivalent)?

Many thanks for any suggestions.

If you are squeamish, avert your eyes from the attached pics of the rot.

Best,

Pod

Attachments:

[podmo]

And, the rotted sill...

Attachments:

[Gone Kayaking]

I used homasote wrapped with butyl based window flashing (facing the road) and then a 3/8 piece (I think) on top of that for the sub floor. Others use just exterior plywood and either treat it or some spray the entire bottom with truck bed liner.

Mine has held up pretty well...including going on a 7K road trip last summer. I don't live anywhere where the winters are harsh though. Can't tell here by your pics but is a good idea to overlap the seams of the homasote and plywood if you go that route so that you don't have a through and trhough seam.

[schweetcruisers]

I would say replace, replace, replace. I found so much rot and structural damage when I took mine down to the frame, stuff I couldn't see from underneath, I found cracks in the frame under the 2x4's and broken welds that appeared to ok because the 2x4's were holding it in place. Check out my blog to see for yourself. Good Luck.

[Hamlet]

We agree with sweetcruisers. This is the one chance you 'll have when it's easy to get at pretty much everything. If you just do it now, you won't regret it later.

[cowcharge]

The only piece of the floor I kept was the front 2x4, but mine's newer and has an aluminum belly pan pan that wraps up in front of it. What worries me about old, dried-out wood is splitting it with new screws.