I used the reg Rhoads and stock 1.5 rockers. I realize that Cliff and Jim Hand say the 1.65's will make more power. But in my situation, I was bracket racing. I was not trying to make max power, or lowest ET. What I needed was a smooth idle at 800rpm, in gear, and lots of bottom end, off the line torque, so I could run a stock 13" converter.
Another reason I didn't run 1.65 rockers was that I'da had to hog out the pushrod holes. And it would'a just put more strain on the valve springs. Hey, I even ran stock bottleneck studs and 3/8 polylocks. Running 1.65 rockers was just not worth doing, for my purposes. If you haven't bought a cam yet, and you want more than a RA4 with 1.5 rockers can give, you can just use the extra money the rockers would cost and have a cam ground like you want it.
You could hear the tick. Some people just can't stand it. Even some guys that love a lopey idle, and loud exhaust, seem to hate Rhoads lifters. I really can only see a lot of advantages to using Rhoads lifters. Hey, they will extend the power range of most any cam. (Yeah, I realize they are not good for small cams and the steep ramp cams.) You can get by with more of a top end cam, but still have a decent idle, good vac, and more low end than possible without the Rhoads. It's a win--win. So what's not to like. Plus they have real snap ring retainers, instead of the flimsy paperclip style which some lifters have. I've read that Rhoads begin life as Johnson Hy-Lift lifters, and are then modified by Rhoads.
Hey, I was aksed to leave a Pontiac forum for recommending the RA4 / Rhoads combo.
They said that was old, out of date technology, that nobody had used in 30 years.
Most of them thought the CC XE cams were best for almost every app, regardless of cube. And a respected Pontiac engine builder, was leading the charge. He even said he recommends rollers, unless the customer absolutely insists on a flat tappet. That's all I'll say about that.