Charlie - - these are AWESOME pics to an equally awesome story ! Congrats !
The mummified rodent reminds me of a 1970 Sport Satellite wagon that I bought from Texas back in '89. It was going to be a solid donor car for my '70 GTX Wagon. Anyway, as I was tearing the car apart, I was having a heckuva time getting the back seat out of the car. It just wouldn't free itself from the floorpan, even though it was free from the rearward-facing hooks. Come to find out, a rat, about the size of a cat, had gotten underneath the seat at some point, and couldn't get out. Its' remains had become one with the floorpan,the springs, and frame of the seat.
Whatta mess ........