That was a total PITA for me too... I had come to that same conclusion as you did and left the back half. Then, the wife accepted the challenge and spent about a 1/2 hour laying face first on the engine block slowly unscrewing the nut. That was kind of hot...
Well today I ordered a CDC convertible light bar. They (CDC) have been making them for every body style convertible mustang since the fox body. They come in 3 colors for the S550 bodied mustangs, black, gray and carbon fiber. I got the black one.
I got the light bar put on today, it kinda makes the car look a little more upscale. It's similar to the ones they put on BMW's and Merc's and like the ones used on the 68 Shelby convertibles.