@saforwardlook.
I believe I have offended you and that is not my intent. I know it's time to drop the conversation. But I find it difficult. Are you sure there are "No" engineers that would share my opinion?
John Delorean put a concept in my head from something he once wrote.
It has to do with the conflict between building the best you can period and building the best you can do and still be in business next year.
These cars are built for specific markets and markets have price points.
Delorean said to pay attention to who moves first or last with certain concepts and what markets they pertain to.
Some improvements are product improvements and some are process improvements. Meaning improvements to profitability.
Some improvements are simply changes back to what previously existed. Generations of new designers will change things to make their mark only to be reversed again in the future. It's 2020 and manufacturers will still pitch the "new easy to read instrumentation". I'm pretty sure that concept was vetted nearly 100 years ago.
Anyhow, there is no one specific answer to all these questions.
But Delorean did hit on stub frame versus frame and that was specifically a factory improvement.
GM did not do it to the mid and fullsize cars for a reason. They converted the lines when they got smaller. Hudsons were unibody in the 50's it was not new. The first big brand cars to go frameless were the lowest markets. The cheapest cars.
Not the top market cars.
He predicted the future of front wheel drive as standard. Process improvement.
The full size unibody cars from the 60 and 70's were simply adaptations. Framed cars with no frames. They were not designed from ground up with a frameless concept as today production cars.
Safety. I don't know a lot to be honest. Usually when people wave that flag they seem to be trying to justify something.
To me it looks like most cars designed to 120mph have crumple zones and air bags.
The cars that are designed to go 220mph have steel frames and body harnesses.
I can't even speak on it. I drive old ****.
When you look way up market, to where money does not matter. As in several hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most those cars have frames and many are leading the engineering and design world. No price point.
When I was 15. I was "mopar rules!" "Mopar or no car!". Truth was I didn't know ****. I just thought they were badass. (I was right about that)
Now as an adult with 30 years of weekends under my belt with my cars I have a more objective point of view.
Chrysler did many good things. Two additional 1/4 20 screws per valve cover! I love it! The timing cover on an LA series engine looks like it's part of a machine and not something to bake a cake in! Love it!
There is much good. I respect your opinion. I'm still learning.