Alright...so I've been cleaning up and restoring the '77 XS 400 I bought recently. The front and rear fenders are all rusted on the side facing the tire. This is understandable and can be dealt with easily. The problem is arising from the fact that the Chrome on the top surfaces has started to peel in spots and is rusted underneath. I'm trying to do all the resto on a shoestring budget as I'm in college and have very limited funds. What options do I have to try and fix up the fenders?

Please don't mention a chrome shop as that is WAY too much money. Sanding sounds tedious without much results, and chemical etching and painting sounds dangerous especially in the 1 bedroom apartment I have. So is that it? Or is there something else that may work?

Alright...so I've been cleaning up and restoring the '77 XS 400 I bought recently. The front and rear fenders are all rusted on the side facing the tire. This is understandable and can be dealt with easily. The problem is arising from the fact that the Chrome on the top surfaces has started to peel in spots and is rusted underneath. I'm trying to do all the resto on a shoestring budget as I'm in college and have very limited funds. What options do I have to try and fix up the fenders?

Please don't mention a chrome shop as that is WAY too much money. Sanding sounds tedious without much results, and chemical etching and painting sounds dangerous especially in the 1 bedroom apartment I have. So is that it? Or is there something else that may work?

About all you can do is replace the fenders with nicer ones. If you have any bike junkyards, you should be able to get out for under $50 for both. That, or use POR-15 on the fenders and rattlecan 'em outside...