Yes, I had thought about that, but there probably aren't a lot of suitable forks out there--it's for a 26" wheel, and has a super long head tube--I think it's over 10" long. Then there's all that business with fork geometry that I don't pretend to understand. Replacing the steerer might not be easy, but I suspect that it's still going to be easier than finding the right replacement.

But now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure it takes a 1 1/8" headset. Maybe this whole project is doomed from the outset.