Thanks to Greg, Joel, Randy and Don, my alternator has been successfully
removed. And they were all right, it was easy. 

I took it to a local place that rebuilds them and they tried swapping
out the regulator without any luck.  They did say that the brushes were
extremely worn but they didn't have any of the right ones that they
could put into it.  Now my alternator is back at home without a dime
being spent on it yet.

So, where's the best/cheapest place to find the brushes?  

Thanks all,
Tonya
87 Vanagon GL Wolfs
74 S. Beetle