Front forks are rebuilt with the exception of the seals and new drain screws/gaskets which haven't been installed yet. The piston rings, damper bolt copper washers, and upper fork bushings are all new. If anyone is curious, the parts fiche for the 1978 GS1000E does not show a part number for the upper bushings - I measured the existing ones and sourced a matching set from Racetech. Getting the old ones out was a bit of a bugger, as the bushings sit nearly blind into the fork tube. So, I sharpened a screwdriver and found the section where the bushings are split. Gently, I worked the screwdriver with a hammer underneath the bushing and curled it upward so it could finally be removed with a set of pliers. If you nick the bushing seating surface, it's no biggie, just polish it smooth with some fine emery cloth - it isn't a sealing surface, and as long as you don't gouge the snot out of it, the bushing will seat just fine. There are no lower bushings on these forks.
I was going to reuse the original tubes but they were pitted beyond my liking - they were replaced with a set of Tarozzi tubes from Fast From the Past. I will be installing a set of Racetech springs with 10w Fuchs Silkolene oil, and I am having a machine shop make a set of fork caps that have a 19mm hex on top of the cap (the stock caps with air valves just look ugly, IMHO).
Old stuff
IMG_1453 by Anthony Monteleone, on Flickr
Bushing driven in
IMG_1454 by Anthony Monteleone, on Flickr
Fork vise adapter & new tube installed
IMG_1455 by Anthony Monteleone, on Flickr
The finished pair!
IMG_1456 by Anthony Monteleone, on Flickr
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