Dog,
If the project is just going to sit for a while before it gets a full bath of epoxy primer I would suggest any decent rust protecting paint. I prefer Zero Rust but Rustoleum would also work to protect it from rusting again. I would scuff it up really well before going over it with epoxy primer when you are ready to cover all the pieces.
The cost of the epoxy primer is too much to use it a little at a time and once opened it does have a definitive shelf life. Get all the pieces ready and then shot them at the same time.
Good luck.
