Maybe somebody out there can help me with replacing the front shock/struts. Can you buy the whole assembly with the spring included? I thought this would be a way to avoid the task of compressing the spring in order to replace the shock. This may be cost prohibitive and wanted to know how somebody else has done the job. R.P.

 

You have to buy the strut, and spring seperate, and put it together yourself. it's really not that hard, just make sure you get the top mount lined up, meaning the slope of the strut mount should be sloping to one direction. on my 87, you have to make sure that hole in the top of the mount is facing towards the inside of the car.

 

87626GT is right. They are available only separate that I have ever seen. Make sure to mark the position of the upper rotator plate where it bolts to the body. This is the alignment adjustment by turning the plate so make sure it goes back in the same spot as when it came out.
Check with Autozone or Schucks or whoever is a local parts store. Oftentimes they have tools like spring compressors to loan if you buy the struts from them or rent otherwise.