After nearly a year of going back and forth—patching rust, rebuilding the rear, fabricating a custom door, and a hundred other ideas—the decision is finally made.

The 2000 Explorer is getting chopped.

The plan is simple: remove the rusted-out rear cargo section and replace it with an Aussie-inspired canopy setup. It’s the most practical way to eliminate the rot while creating something stronger, safer, and far more functional for how we actually use the rig.

This won’t just be a repair—it’s a reset. A rugged rear deck, a purpose-built canopy, and a space designed for both gear and sleeping. Exactly what this platform should have been all along.

I’ll keep the full layout under wraps for now, but this marks the next chapter in the Explorer Chronicles. A way to bring the old rig back into service—better than before.

With fuel pushing $2 a litre, long-haul trips are off the table for now. But honestly, that makes this the perfect time to slow things down, build with intention, and breathe new life into a vehicle that still has plenty of story left in it.