[mikethedruid]

As for a chassis with some surface rust on it still rusting, they are not made from paper thin steel. A little surface rust can be cleaned off with Naval Jelly and fine steel wool. Unless you plan on subjecting the chassis to the weather, or use it in a very humid location, although it will redevelop light surface rust, it won't eat through the chassis, or even affect the performance of the radio. If one wishes to ensure against this, there are home plating kits with which one can re-plate areas of steel that are exposed. Certainly this is preferable to entrusting ones valuable, and potentially irreplaceable, parts to someone else, and risking losing them forever.