As far as saving it from teh elements, I put grease on every metal-to-metal contact point on my beater. Rain likes to sit in those little gaps and make rust, so you might as well fill those gaps with grease. Places like, the threads of every part you attach, in the dropouts, braze-on holes, on the spindle where the crank arms meet the bottom bracket, rails of the saddle and the seatpost clamp, etc.