When I am done putting my Maruishi Roadace 7 back together I am planning on using it for commuting, but I'd like to try doing some touring on it too.

Are there any particular changes and upgrades I should consider for touring purposes? For example, it is currently 12-speed with downtube shifters. What are the possibilities of upgrading it to, say, 18-speed and use bar-end shifters? Would this even be a good bike for touring? From what I have read about touring bikes I think it could work well (frame geometry, wheel construction) but what do the masters say?