68 bsa chopper barnfind

I've got some advice to go this route, you've got an AEE springer right? I'm resurrecting a sporty chop with the same springer and it was all pitted and nasty inside the springs.
It was impossible to polish without taking it apart (you need to compress the springs to get at all of it.) It saves a lot of money VS. rechroming and I HATE polishing.

So here's what I did: made a parts bath. Instead of polishing, let it cook for a couple hours. It's like waiting for laundry.

You need a big container, a 10 gal. rubbermaid or 5 gal bucket, something big enough to submerge the forks deep enough. Don't worry about them sticking out, you can flip it around and do the bottoms of the legs later.

Get a box of baking soda, dump about half/ almost all of it in.
Then fill up the bucket with water.
Stick your forks in, you can do the other half once you get the springs cleaned up.
Hook a battery charger up: + goes on the anode (SS spoon or steel, steel removes rust better IMO)
The negative goes anywhere on the part you're cleaning up.

So let it simmer for a few, an hour, whatever. Check on it, check on it often. I worry about pulling too much chrome off, but it really makes it a mirror finish. I like to use 6volt sometimes, you can neglect it longer just in case you're occupied with other stuff. Apparently Hydrogen gas is a byproduct, so do it out in the garage. I guess it's explosive or dangerous but I never had any problems. Hell I did it in the the basement and I rent, surprised nobody thought I was cooking meth or something.

So after you leave it cooking for a bit, I remove the rust w/ a dry cloth. Then dip it back in, until no oxidation is left.

Then (I know this sounds really stupid, stick with me) get some silver spray paint.
Hit all the rusty/exposed welds and bare metal with it. Let it dry for a few minutes, then wipe it down with a rag soaked (just a little) in turpentine, then get a dry cloth to take off the crud that leaves behind. The silver paint's metallics stick to bare metal, but not the chrome. Hit it with wax to protect it, and VIOLA! good as new. Honestly it's a hell of a lot better looking than hitting it with a drill w/ brushes like lowbrow's FAQ. Chrome comes out mirror finish. I tried using a lambswool drill and polish, it scratched the hell out of it.

I did also hit all the really bad spots with aluminum foil, but I think paint works just fine. Just a different method I wanted to offer up. If you fill the bath up with diluted acid instead of water, it will eat chrome right off--if say you need to do that. But baking soda and water won't harm chrome unless you leave it in there for days--or unless it's a really thin coating. It will pull any galvinized or zinc coating right off, and if you suspend small parts, use straight steel chain (zinc coated is ok) or even aluminum/copper wire.
Good Luck!
Scott.