Wow...looking really nice! Mechanically, it looks really good. I'd probably clean the oil passages, etc. and just keep the major assemblies separate. No need to *really* take it apart...that's just asking for a headache....besides, you might damage something along the way.
I'm in the midst of my refurbishment of a VN12....I have the column stripped down to bare metal and will do the same for the ram, etc. Then I'll fill, prime, and paint.....or maybe I'll skip the filler, since it is such a PITA.
At any rate, it shouldn't be too hard to strip and repaint...that gets my vote. Be sure to post your progress....this forum seems to be the main one for all things VN12......