M2001,
It's painful to watch you battle nature. Is there a Harbor Freight anywhere near you? Get one of these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42211
For $170 you can't lose. I have a garage, but I bought one of these for extra car space out of the elements. It's worth it to get rid of some of the aggravation factor.
Also, here's a sanding tip: pro painters put masking tape along the edges of hoods, doors, etc. when sanding to avoid burning through. It's extremely hard to avoid otherwise.
Good luck and don't give up!
LanceB