Weight. Pure and simple. The auto engine weighs more cause of the transmission.
Think about it. If you can pull the valve cover off, you can pull the head and the jugs, while leaving the engine in. As the auto, from what I understand was virtually indestructible, why pull the whole engine. though it would have made sense to do that with the later years as well. After all, the tanks are the same, unless the bottom is formed different.