OEM Rocker Arm Side Play

I have almost no SB stuff in my shop, but I do have a 596 head and some stock rocker gear off a 318.
Bolting those crusty old rockers on the 596 head ended up with the pairs having barely .035” between them.
Rockers are 1.665”-ish wide.
Hold down clamps were basically 1.245” and .945”.

The other end of the spectrum I’ve seen are the Mancini/HS BB rockers and hold downs on Ede heads.
Bolt it all on and they’re jammed up solid.
Slightly less than “0” clearance.
I’ve got original rockers and hold downs off of the 78 360 and the rockers are about 1.662” wide, hold downs are .961” & 1.259”

Have hold downs off an 87 318 which measure .958” & 1.257”

On the big blocks they use spacers, small blocks no. Anyone have the definitive reason (or even a theory?) why that is?