He's looking at a ~$2000 long-block engine vs. the ~$5000 long-block 383 or 383E. I don't see the HT383 or 383E as a particular bargain.
http://www.crateenginedepot.com/Chevrolet-Performance-HT383E-Crate-Engine-19355721-P10402.aspx
http://www.crateenginedepot.com/Chevrolet-Performance-HT383-Crate-Engine-19355720-P9409.aspx
And, again, there's the question of warranty. The 383 is for '79 and older, the 383E is for '96 and newer. The OP has never said what year vehicle these would be going into.
I agree. I always thought the GMPP HT383E was a big price jump for what you get. If it $3-$3.5K it would still be expensive, but make more sense to me.