Bill,
Best plywood is one that has no "voids", the spaces you see in regular
building grade plywood, on the C side of A-C plywood. When plywood gets
wet, if water gets into internal voids, it doesn't get out quickly and
that leads to delamination or deterioration of the wood. If the plywood
is completely sealed, that's not a problem.
But you asked for the best to use.....MG used pretty good stuff, no
unfilled areas on either side of the plywood and no internal voids that I
have found. That would be in USA these days, a "marine" plywood that is
real wood veneers bonded with waterproof glues. One brand is "Brunzeel
(sp?) a Dutch product that specialty wood shops know of. It's made of
thinner plies (veneers), with 1/2 inch equivalent being made of five
veneers instead of the typical three in A-C plywood.
The stuff is only slightly more expensive than equivalent gold sheets
however. If you cut it to fit, drill the holes, then seal surfaces and
edges with good thinnned primer, or epoxy sealant, and paint the plywood
completely, something less expensive than the Brunzeel would work fine
for a car that is not driven regularly in rain and snow. The floorboards
were originally sanded pretty smooth, then painted with a thin black
paint. Few will pick up the carpet to inspect the plywood.
If you were to use Brunzeel, it sure would be pretty, though not as MG
did it, to varnish the wood---it's that nice.
A word of caution---a young neighbor went recently to West Marine for
some plywood and returned with some piece of plastic stuff. It was
labelled "Marine Plywood" but it wasn't wood and I wouldn't use the xxxx
in a dog kennel since even the dog would be unhappy with the deceitful
product description. It was white, not unlike the rigid poly extrusion
used for exterior house trim.
I don't know the thickness off hand. If you don't get the answer for
that, write back and I will go measure mine.
Bob
On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:40:25 -0400 "Bill Snyder" <wtsnyder@bellsouth.net>
writes:
> What is considered the best plywood for replacement of TD floorboards
> and rear axle cover panels? What was the original thickness of the
> mahogany plywood used by Abingdon? Thanks!
>
> Bill Snyder
> '53 TD under construction
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