Heavy Vector Cleanup

[dexter258854449fya]

trying to find more automated way of cleaning up some really bad vector designs as supplied by my client.
I've tried add, shape builder, simplify, and join tool.  None seem to do the job.
Thoughts?

Photos attached.

[Monika Gause]

The second one, maybe the Pathfinder Merge. But impossible to say based on that snippet in outline view.

The first one: have you tried adjusting the gap options in the shapebuilder tool?

[Barbara Ash]

I find it difficult to see what the shapes are like in the outline view provided. 

If the vector designs are really really bad, you may need to re-draw them. Sometimes that is faster than trying to use klugy fixes on a bad design.