Restoring finish on old light fixtures

[Bexar]

I'm searching for a plating shop to strip and replate the 5 rusty original light fixtures off my '60 Tradewind. The shop I went to here in SoCal wanted $300, which might be reasonable, but warned their deplating process might eat thru the cheap old metal these fixture were stamped from and change the surface permanently. I feel with a little attention the stripping could be done non destructively. Maybe I'm wrong?
The rust is minor and finish looks like a gold cad. My alternative course is to chemically remove the rust, prime and spray with a gold rustoleum. Anyone figured this one out?

Tnx!
Richard