Generally speaking, I think that you'll lose minimum value if you document the condition of the bicycle as it is now with many, many photographs, and then if you don't cheap out on the reconditioning. Use a good chrome plater-- there was one who was lauded recently in the past 6 weeks here on C&V-- and sent the frame to one of the handful of guys who have made a name for themselves: Joe Bell and Chris Kvale spring to mind, but there are others.

Reconditioning the DeRosa like this will drop the resale value very little. Certainly it'll be worth more than as a peeling shxtheap.