I'm taking my dash apart for a radio replacement and I notice that there are some bits of fuzz/insulation laying around the wiring behind the factory stereo... 'that shouldn't be there' I'm thinking. So I take out what I could from around the wires and it looks like this:


This was scattered among the wires randomly

So then I was wondering: why was it there? Well I found my answer. It came from this big mound of it inside the breadbox! So I'm wondering: does this stuff belong in the car? It seems so out of place... but at the same time I'm not sure of its real purpose so I wanted some input.

Currently, I'm removing all of it from inside the breadbox and as much as I can from around the wiring behind the stereo. EVEN IF this stuff does belong in the car, I'm taking it out. Reason being: ever since I bought this car it's had a very distinct old musty smell on the inside. I knew that mice had been inside the car because I could smell it and I had seen some poop around the engine bay. So I know that they definitely nested here. As I was taking some of the insulation crap out of the breadbox, I reach in and feel a solid large chunk... wonder what that is?? I grab hold and bring out a very dead, fossilized mouse! Nasty. So I continue taking more out... and there's another one! All of this right behind the breadbox cushion!
Mind you, the entire time I'm taking out these pieces, the stuff was riddled with mouse poop/pee so it's just unsalvageable. So I'm definitely taking it all out right now to help the smell.

Here's a video of what I'm talking about:

Anyone able to offer some input on what this is/what to replace it with if it's necessary? (Also maybe how to remove the breadbox, that would make it a lot easier )

 

Ahh, the joys of owning a vintage car. That is a rats nest, make sure you wear gloves and a mask and sanitize the area where you found it. Also while the bread box is off its a good time to make sure they didn't chew up the burn-off module wiring.