Originally posted by FarSideX
If you have them equipped and reinstall without the DLC they are just invisible to you any way. When you change your ship back to a regular one it becomes visible but if you try to go back it says 'requires purchase'. The DLC has to be installed but all the DLC is, is a DMR file since the items are in everyone's game file so you can see them on other people.
You can patch the game to always allow DLC but a patched game will get you banned at this point so it is easier to just install the DLC pkg files and be done with it.