Hi Gregster,
Dean has in fact built a really nice ride. You should take him up on his offer.
As to why Tornado builds a tubular semi-mono with stressed panels, well as you can see by my chassis #, Tornado has been in business for a long time with a proven design. Its light, stiff and easy to repair in the event of an accident. We have looked into producing a full monocoque, but for us right now, the current design makes the most sense.
Chassis design is part science, part art, and part philosophy.
Every design has its good and bad points.
Suffice it to say, do the research on all the manufacturers, spend time on their respective websites, call them and ask questions. Then it should be easy for you to decide which one is best for your intended use.
You are in the same state as I am, so when chassis #875 gets here you are most welcome to come and have a look!
Cheers,
Scott