Used the Howards aluminum rods in our fuel motors----I guess they worked ok-NHRA national and world records--one of first cars into 5s
used Venolia and Childs&Albert in my prostocker--guess they worked OK-- one of first PS in 7s

However---after leaving my PS engine sit for a few years, I found several rods cracked along the outer edge of the threaded portion of the beam

Back in those days, alum rods were all that was available in various lengths and sizes----these days you can get about any sixe/length/pin bore rod you want in a goog material and they are smaller so take less clearancing on the big end---

I remember once getting a set of Ansen rods for our 392 that the big end was so large they wouldn't go thru the cylinder bore