As the originator of this thread, I feel it is my duty to report my progress. My new $18.45 sensor has my old connector attached, and is installed. The wax-in-the-threads-while-hot trick worked beautifully. The old sensor broke loose instantly, and spun right out.

  The new sensor has a round shield that was made from a piece of 2 1/4" diameter mild steel tube left over from an exercise machine, notched and tabbed for mounting over the pipe. The sensor sits down in the middle, protected, but untouched.
  The shield is held in place with a stainless radiator style worm clamp.

  Total cost - 1 coping saw blade, broken while cutting round notches and tabs.

  NO UNOBTAINIUM WAS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS SHIELD!!

  So there, VWoA! Nyaaah!

Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET> wrote:
  Oh my gosh! They used to be around $38 and I thought that was too much.
VW is getting a bit crazy with parts they no longer want to carry I
guess. Start making them out of soup cans. I guess they are no made of
unobtanium.

Dennis