454 LS engines have a pretty long stroke/rod ratio. With that always comes questions of reliability under abuse. Still, I think that engine should hold together for quite a while considering your plans for the car.
I think a lot of the difference in cost has to do with whether or not you're comparing aluminum block 454 LS engines to iron block ones. Also, the cost of an intake, throttle body, balancer, and oil pan all add up. Some also come with an ecu as well.
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