I must admit from a mechanical point of view I can see no logic with installing them big end in the engine bay. Strikes me that you're right about lazy mechanics, because it's easier to disconnect the coupler and push a new one up then do it from inside the car. I certainly would not put much store by what BLMC dealer mechanics have done since they left the factory, the lack of understanding by mechanics back in the day was just one of the many reasons why Sprint's were incorrectly known as fragile.
Wonder how the bush is fitted on a SD1 or (admittedly different size) on a TR7?
