Hey gang, quick question.
I've been purchasing several NOS parts from the 50's and 40's. I know that a lot of these parts have seen rain, as when I go to swap meets it usually rains!
In anycase, I'm a young guy, and I want to keep these parts for the long far away future (30 + years) for when my car starts REALLY acting its age. Any tips? Cardboard box? Metal trunk, tupperwear? Ziplock bags? Submerge in WD-40? I'd just hate to pull out 80 yr old NOS parts that are rusted, or the rubber is rotted...
So far its a grocery bag in my closet (but I do keep a meticulous spreadsheet of everything I own...Two weeks ago I was hunting for brushes...Bought a pair, only to find out I already had some! Sigh, so I have the list, but unlike Santa Claus, I don't check it twice!
What have you fun succesful? Have any sob stories where I can learn from your mistakes?

I would think that the parts need to be in a dry climate controled area. This means a closet or attic. I would polish pot metal chrome parts topping with a good layer of wax inside and out to the best of my ability and then store in small cardboard boxes as above.

At work, we put heavy grease on bare metal parts, then wrap it in plastic or wax paper. Grease creeps into dry areas and it keeps air and water far away for many years.

When you want to pull out of storage, simply de-grease and finish however you like. We use wax on cutting tools, with a liberal amount of 30W oil. The wax holds the oil in. If you can seal air and water away from surfaces (even rusty surfaces), that will stop any further corrosion. Coatings and plating works, but I've seen 60 yr-old steel parts that look like new because they were coated in grease, like ball joints and tie-rod ends. A little gas pulls off the dirt and grease, revealing perfect steel.

The US government used cosmoline that appeared to be sprayed on.

I put smaller parts in zip lock freezer bags with a paper towel coated with light oil.I have nos chrome pieces that have been bagged over twenty years and are still like new.You can get bags up to a two gallon size that hold quite a lot.

Hey wow, thanks for the tips, didn't know if oil life on would discolor chrome or not, good deal!
Looks like I'll be getting my hand's greasy this weekend. Do you all do the same for points and dist. caps?
Any tips for rubber parts, like wheel cylinders and such? I just get concerned that 40 years from now there won't be easy ways to get parts, even the common ones today. I look at lenses for example. If you have a popular Ford or Chevy, you are in good shape. With the lower production Mopars and non-hip orphans it seems like the cracked and rare old stock discoveries are the only supply will have from now until eternity! Just would like to well stocked until the apocolypse comes! =P