Bare metal protection?

[1970judge]

IF I get to keep my current Camaro, it was in line for the body work/paint to be done. I started on the prep work myself in some areas, my question is this. How do you protect a car that has been stripped to bare metal? How do I prevent surface rust and the like? I have not stripped the car yet, and I haven't really decided if I want to or not. It doesn't NEED it per say but I feel more comfortable doing it, if it will give me the awesome paint results I want.

Thanks
Marcus