Cleaning up the rear shocks

Anyone got any advice on cleaning up the rear shocks?

I was going to buy new ones which cost £38 but seeing as I am getting my sleeves powder coated and have nuts, washers and rubbers for my existing ones I am thinking of cleaning up the ones I already have.

The lower part of the shock is actually quite rusty which I suppose I could sand down and spray but I think they were originally chrome?!

Anyone got any ideas on what I should do? I will have a couple of weeks to clean parts up (before reassembly) and I am trying to keep the cost of the project down!

Thanks in advance.

Hi James
my shocks consist of a painted top shell then a chromed sleeve which is attached to an aluminium casting which fixes to the frame the chromed sleeve is what the spring goes inside but the bottom couple of inches does show so needs to look good. As a follow up to that my Honda manual shows the spring coils exposed and in the manual it does not call them shocks it calls them CUSHIONS must be something in the translation
have fun

Just a small update on the shocks.

I have decided against buying a new pair as I think I can clean them up cheaper than buying new ones, and I also want to try and keep the bike as original as possible.

I have bought some chrome paint for the sleeves which show under the white upper sleeves (these are currently away at the moment being powder coated white to match the frame).

The other parts will be polished up on a machine. There is a machine in my Grandad's old workshop but I don't know where the polishing wheels are so might need to buy some new ones and also might need some assistance from my uncle on how to use it as I am a novice!