ddgonzal
The more you sut from a coil, the stiffer it becomes. Do you know what the spring "rate" is of a 1200 coil when cut, say, 2"
Additionally, i have found that in some applications, the coil is wound to a flat base at both ends. My 1200 workshop manual shows that these are sorta flat, & the spring seat is shaped to fully suport the spring all round. If you cut a full coil off, it's the end of the "wire" that the coil is made from that sits on the seat, This can cause the coil to cock sideways & this introduces it's own problems.
I have never seen a home mechanic / car enthusiast with a hacksaw or cutting disc shorten them "properly",...yet

Cut coils are a no no here for a good reason, & it relates directly to vehicle safety. I don't like the registration Nazi's any more that anyone else, but they do have their uses, & testing common vehicle modifications is one of them.
Using reset, or new made springs is always the best move.

You are right about springs & shocks. The spring absorbs the suspension deflection & stores the energy, the shock controls the RATE of energy release. This means that the shock controls the speed that the energy is released by the spring returning to it's static position & yes, in a MacPherson strut design, the shock is an integral part of the suspension unit.