Welcome Ross!
Take lots of pictures as you disassemble. They will, without a doubt, help you at the stage a reassembly.
With all due respect, 40 grit seems rather course, we use 80-100 in the body shop.
Just a thought, often it is easier to sand the panels when they are still attached to the vehicle. After you get the majority sanded, then remove the fender and go around the edges.
Chemical stripper's work real well and create no dust (meaning: the mess in not spread over the whole shop). We use aircraft paint stripper, brush it on. By the time you get around the vehicle you can scrape the paint off where you started.
Good Luck.
