Getting from 2.0 here to 3.0 there - Bryan L

I'm currently running a WSS 2.0 site collection hosted on a SBS 2003
standard box.  I'd like to end up running that same site collection,
upgraded to WSS 3.0, hosted on a different server.

Current Server:         SBS 2003 R2 Standard
WSS 2.0 using WMSDE

Destination Server:    Server 2003 R2 Standard
Already running SQL 2000 SP4

I'd plan to migrate the entire 2.0 site collection to a temp server (running
in a VM) and test different upgrade methods (in-place, gradual, etc.) to
3.0.  When I'm done testing my scenarios I'll have a better idea of how to
get from the live SBS 2.0 site collection to running the 3.0 site collection
on the S2k3 box.

My questions:

- If I allow WSS 3.0 on the VM temp server to create a SQL 2005 express
installation, will I be able to easily move those DBs to the destination
server?  Is that a good approach to take?

- Is there any good reason to allow WSS 3.0 to run in a SQL 2005 Express
instance on the destination server, as opposed to hosting WSS 3.0 in my
preexisting SQL 2000 installation?

I essentially understand the basic migration scenarios for getting from 2.0
to 3.0, but with all the DB engine considerations thrown into the mix (both
before, during, and after upgrade) it's a lot of moving parts to figure out.

Any guidance and all suggestions appreciated.

TIA!

Bryan