[200q20v] Front Shock Replacement: Workaround or Tool needed

[Forhan, Thomas]

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And my second question for the day:

I bought 4 Bilstein HDs  and started to swap out the old ones over the
weekend. I thought I would do the fronts first, since the "top down" method
seemed so easy....

Well, once I got in there, the big problem is the threaded collar holding
the shock in. Bentley calls for a "2078" (book  is at home- maybe is a
"2079") which must be about a foot long hollow spark plug wrench sort of
thing, except its business end fits into a hex shaped recess about 30mm in
diameter on the top of the collar. Even my local friend who has massive
collection VAG tools from a VW dealer that went belly up in NY state a while
back did not have the tool.

Any other ideas? I figure I could abandon the top down approach, remove the
strut and spring, and try to get it off with a pipe wrench on the bench, but
if you know a better way, or want to lend or rent the right tool, please let
me know!

I'm trying to get the beast back on the road for a Thanksgiving trip:
DC-Chicago-DC.

Thanks again

Tom F.
91 200q20v Avant
and a bunch of Vanagons