Rattle can paint prep.
The wagon deserves fresh paint. I deserve a lower-back brace and a better sanding strategy.
Mission: make the wagon beautiful again.
This repair log follows the very glamorous process of sanding, priming, masking, fixing old paint damage, and slowly preparing the wagon for a driveway rattle-can repaint.
Current situation
Supplies & materials
The driveway paint plan.
Wash the wagon thoroughly.
Dirt, grease, and old wax need to go before sanding begins.
Sand damaged paint areas.
Feather edges carefully and smooth out rough spots without destroying good paint.
Fix dents and imperfections.
Body filler, sanding blocks, and emotionally processing every dent individually.
Prime the repair areas.
Multiple light coats are the plan. Patience is the challenge.
Wet sand for smoothness.
The wagon deserves buttery smooth panels even if my knees absolutely do not.
Mask trim & woodgrain carefully.
The fake woodgrain stays. That is non-negotiable.
Start color coats.
Light coats. Consistent movement. No panic.
Current paint-prep evidence.
The wagon glow-up continues.
Every layer of primer gets the wagon closer to cruising Los Angeles looking like a turbocharged woodgrain dream.