flaky paint peel-offs over chromed frame. infamous Pinaººººo paint job.
tried but found kinda hard to 'keep'—to preserve the fragmented surface w light touchups—it
,due to some sprinkling of light surface rust underneath the paint.

it may just well be in need of new paint. ok.
here rise the Qs.

1. powder coat path
— would sand blast/bead blast/media blast hurt/peel-off the chrome surface?
— if so, hand-stripping using those stinky toxic ****s is the only way to 'keep' the chrome in tact?
(not too sentimental to the not-so-shinny plated surface but an 'all chromed frame' still seems somewhat worth to keep, i guess?)

2. wet paint path
—*do i need to prime the chromed surface too? would U-POL work?
— if so, do i need to prep the surface to prime? elf-etching primer? light-sanding?

3. general Q
— heard Italians used chromed tubings to have a better adhering surface to paint. truthful assessment?
isn't it the major reason of flaky peel-offs all over?
guessing from the thickness of painting, it is hard to imagine it was ever properly primed?

sorry too many small Qs within one short post, but all is related, i guess.
appreciate your insights, advice and experiences "around", in advance.

Powdercoater can mask off the shiny bits so they stay, or chem strip plus and Oxalic acid bath to de rust.
Chrome makes it harder not easier for paint to stick. Just think of it as quick release paint
You can paint straight over chrome if it is scuffed a bit, or use trans paint over polished chrome for chromovelato (very low durability)
Primer makes it easier to prep for a glass smooth surface. The results are 90% prep work.

Its all about scuffing the chrome and then using a self etching primer. The same way you would paint a chrome bumper on a car

Will self etching primer etch chrome? I tend to think that it won't, but I really don't know for sure. I used to use Metal Prep, a liquid etcher that is used before priming. That's the old school way. It doesn't appear to do anything to chrome. It may be that it has lost its effectiveness. The bottle has been in the cabinet for at least 25 years.

The primer is not just to fill imperfections. Primer sticks better than paint does.

I've had success with self etching primer over chrome. And in response to the other question, yes, you can PC over chrome and yes, you can mask it off to leave the chrome showing.

But, did the etching primer actually etch the chrome?

I cannot authoritatively say that it did, I can only say that the paint seems to be just as durable as otherwise.

I've used etching primer over scuffed chrome, then a filling primer, sanded smooth and then painted, It's holding up, but I've wondered if the etching primer had any effect on the chrome. Chrome is tuff stuff. I suppose that the only way to know for sure is to strip and examine with magnification.

The first frame I repainted had a lot of chrome, and the guys at the paint store recommended zinc chromate as a primer. It's the stuff they coated airframes with during WWII. In 5 years it's held up very well.

thanks for the tips, folks. looks like it's obvious that i'd still need to prime it well.

one last Q still persist here:
would sand/media/bead blasting hurt the chrome? should i go w chemical strip for safety—if i want to keep the chromed—instead?

I would.

I always use primer. No matter what I'm painting and even if the paint can says no primer necessary.

Never compromise on the quality of your primer and make sure it is compatible with your final paint...

The only way I have been able to get any of the primers to really stick has been to wet sand the shine on the chrome...

You will be surprised how many imperfections you find in the chrome itself and yes it is all prep time...

Wet sanding just keeps the paper from loading up. That won't happen with chrome.