congrats...super DIY job. so you fired it up and took it for a spin. awesome

 

It looked like powder coating, but I might be wrong. For gasket removal, I carefully used a straight edge razor to remove any residual gasket. I took my time and used care not to damage the metal surfaces.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'll get a bucket of elbow grease and get crackin' on the old gaskets.
I worked out a nifty way to install the 2nd circlip without paying a bazillion dollars for the tool.
A short (2") copper 3/4" tube and a deep 5/8" socket. Press the clip into the tube just past the clips halfway point with the ends of the clip pointing up. Rotate the clip so the ends are touching the rim of the tube. Insert the socket into the other end of the tube. Press the tube firmly against the piston and smack the socket with your free hand. Harley pistons work easy. S&S pistons required me to hold the tube with a pair of channel lock pliers so I could put more pressure against the piston. Beats spending 130$

 

I know this is an old thread but had to say thanks for the great write up. I've done tutorials before. Taking pictures during the build and writing the article takes a lot more time and effort than most people realize.