I picked up this Ciocc frame and fork off CL for 65 bucks last week . Probably too much for its condition, but I figured 1) it's a 62 which is perfect for me, and 2) New York CL wants 175 dollars for every rusty beater that has wheels and a chain, so...

Where do I start? The chrome is pretty ragged so should I get it powder coated? If so, they'll have to sandblast the chrome along with the remaining paint, right? Is it worth trying to salvage any of the chrome in the rear triangle or is that just a headache in this shape?

Personal preference and suggested blueprints much appreciated!

I have a 1980 Ciocc Mockba that was made as a road racing frame for the Czech and Polish cycling teams for the 80 Moscow olympics. They built a bunch of extras and then when the olympic boycott occurred, the Mockba did not sell very well. Performance Bike was a newbie mail order company at that time, and I bought one of those frames for about $200. Still have it and ride the bike once a month or so. I put countless tens of thousands of miles on the bike during the 1980s and 1990s, it is a great machine. My frame got rusty when I lived on the east coast (road salt). I tried to fight the rust off for years but gave up and had it all sandblasted and painted solid green with a creme color around the headtube.

I don't think it is too far gone, a blast and a coat will save it. Cyclomondo has Ciocc decals on eBay.

you might be able to salvage some of that chrome. Before you have it blasted, try a little stripper (hey, don't mind if I do!) like CitriStrip or 3M Safest on the chrome parts and see how badly rusted it really is. A blaster/powder coater who knows their way around bike frames will mask off the chrome with heavy tape prior to blasting, and then mask again with high-temp tape when they PC. This frame was the classic "anthracite metallic" color with "Rasta" decal option, very typical of Ciocc...I'd PC it the same color or close to it.
BTW, I wasn't being flip when I used "Rasta", that's exactly what a LBS owner told me it was when I was oggling one of these back around 1980-something...he said Signore Pelizoli was a Bob Marley fan. (just repeating a story, can't vouch for it)

Good luck trying to get that chrome off by sandblasting it without causing damage to the frame. I got my colnago redone lately while back in the states and it was a pain to get the gold plating off. I initially took it to get blasted but it did nothing to remove the gold plating. The guy then said he was going to try using sand but that it might mess the frame up so I said "NO!" I had to take it to a plater where they did there thing and the gold plating was removed. I don't know if there is a difference between chrome and gold plating but that was my experience. Sweet frame either way. If you are interested in having it rechromed I can give you the contact info for the guy who did my Colnago. He charges insanely low and does great work.

I got to post pics of that Colnago now that I remembered.

Most definitely. Thanks. Where is said guy? I'm a New Yorker and there's some services in the area but certainly willing to ship if it comes down to that.

Now let's see that goldie-Colnago please.