I figured the reason for installing the bolts from the top was that it was easy to do it that way in the factory, when you didn't have to worry about clearance or room to maneuver. I assume that the control arm was connected to the sub-frame before the engine/transmission was installed. My guess is that no one really worried about ease of repairs 10 years down the road.

95 Contour Zetec, ATX (wrecked, sitting in the barn) 95 Mystique Zetec, MTX 2000 Taurus SEL 3.0L Duratec 1994 Crown Victoria LX 4.6 V8 1993 Chevy Silverado 4.3 V6