the 4.3 gets worse fuel mileage than the 4.8 v8. I would never try towing with that v6. If you think you are comfortable with it, go test drive one to see if you are ok with that lack of power. If you are also going to put a lift, bigger tires, or go off road with it, there's more of a reason to avoid the v6 in the pickup. You can always do a swap with a low mileage pullout, but I would keep that in mind if a v6 pickup is your plan.
Considering you sound like you are willing to put up with a lot more cosmetic damage than most, I actually wouldn't go with a copart vehicle. I would bet that you could make an offer on something that most people would pass on locally. You could always act a little more uninterested when making an offer because of that damage, but at least you would know its a running driving vehicle. You then get to talk to the owner, who could ( HOPEFULLY; HONESTLY) tell you the history and current condition.
Considering you sound like you are willing to put up with a lot more cosmetic damage than most, I actually wouldn't go with a copart vehicle. I would bet that you could make an offer on something that most people would pass on locally. You could always act a little more uninterested when making an offer because of that damage, but at least you would know its a running driving vehicle. You then get to talk to the owner, who could ( HOPEFULLY; HONESTLY) tell you the history and current condition.