Repairing a competition race truck

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AFFF

Established Member
Joined
16 Apr 2020
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Location
Malmesbury
A customer of mine has just bought a second hand race truck
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The back section of the truck consists of a storage area for 4 race cars and at the front an accomodation section for entertainment and eating

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After some investigative work we've found out that there is extensive water damage to the sides of the truck caused by a previous poor repair and leaking windows

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The sides of the truck are made from 18mm marine ply faced both sides with 1mm plastic. The sheets of ply are standard 2.4 x 1.2m size and have been joined with a routed t&g joint. My job is to cut out the rotted sections from the front where they are attached to a steel frame back to undamaged ply and install new plywood panels. This will require three new sheets either side. My plan is to cut and fabricate the new sections in the workshop then install and glue them together on the side of the truck. The major problem I forsee is jointing the last panel to the existing undamaged timber. How do I make a straight waterproof t&g joint. Can't rout it as the router can't reach the very top and bottom of the panel because the roof and floor will stop the router reaching the end of the timber. Even making the straight cut is going to be hard work but I have a plan on how to do this by bolting a track saw to the panel and finishing the top and bottom cuts by hand saw
Any ideas?
 
How about a lap joint where the panels join, finished off where you can’t do it by router with a multi saw? Overlap by an inch should give you plenty of glue surface. Ian
 
Thanks cabinetman. Good idea. I've also been thinking about a loose tenon. Just trying to work out which method gives me the best structural/watertight solution
 

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