This has got to be the most drawn out, difficult brake job I've ever done.
I am working on a 1991 TC.
After fighting with the fronts for many hours and getting them done, I have now moved on to the rears. The caliper bolts are TORX.
As expected, all four torx bolts rounded off in short order, because we all know that Torx is the worst socket type ever devised.
Did Ford think that their rear pads and rotors would last forever? I think this one tops the list for dumbest designs ever.

I'm sure that almost all of you who aren't working on California cars has run into this problem before. How did you handle it?

I got mine off with slow and carefull use of an impact wrench. If I had stripped them then I would makes sure I could ger replacements then use vice grips (and a hammer) and 'loosen all' or some such chemical - Worst case weld a nut to the torx bolt and back it off.

I've used a set of vise grips torqued down, than with a mallet, hit he vise grips until the bolt comes loose.