Converting Mtb Bike to Road Bike?

[Bill Henry]

I've got a 2004 Gary Fisher Marlin sitting in my garage. I bought it
new, thinking I would go mountain biking on a regular basis. Well, that
never really panned.

I've been thinking of getting a road bike for my fairly short rides
around town and on paved surfaces. But then it occurred to me that I
might be able to convert the bike to something of a road bike. I have a
few questions, though.

1) The tires are 26", but I would want to add some road slicks. Do I
need to get new tubes to do this? Will the current wheels work?

2) Can I (and should I) add road handlebars? If so, will they work with
the current stem and/or braking system?

3) The heavy suspension fork isn't going to be necessary. How do I go
about looking for a road-type fork? Will most forks fit with my
headset, etc., or do I have to be very specific what I'm looking for?

I have some decent mechanical skills and am something of a gearhead, but
don't have a lot of experience working on bicycles.

Of course, the other option is to just sell the damn thing and buy a
used road bike. But I like everything else about this bike so that kind
of seems like a waste. Plus, this sounds like more fun.

Thanks for any tips.