I agree that it's important to avoid stressing the windscreen, but I've never heard anyone advising securing the rear first...
When I asked about this a few years ago, "rear first" was the consensus:
Technique for fitting the hood? (1980 4/4).
The handbook for my car agrees:
Hood
When erecting the hood, always fix the eyelets in the back curtain over the turn-
buttons first and then fix snaps across the top of the windscreen, making sure the
sealing pipe runs along the back of the screen. If secured at the front first some
strain will be necessary to pull the eyelets over the turn-buttons, which in time
will pull away from the fabric.
However, it is recommended that if the hood is tight when dismantling it is advisable
to release it at the turn-buttons, which avoids straining at the eyelets.
In reality I’ve found by far the best way is to get someone with younger muscles than mine to do it! My daughter’s fiancé can secure the thing in no time, in seemingly any order.
~iw
