Automakers have a glut of new metal to sell you if you want to go off-roading. But if you’re someone like Robby Layton, buying the shiniest new metal is the easy solution. He decided to build his own off-roader, taking a beat-up limousine and installing a new suspension system, turning the party cruiser into a Moab monster.
Before the excursion started, Layton dropped the tire pressure to 20 psi and locked the vehicle in four-low. That’s all the preparation that the limo needed before starting the trail. The limo has a 255-inch wheelbase, giving the lengthy off-roader a terrible breakover angle, but that’s aided by a superb suspension system built to the correct specs.
However, despite this limitation, the cutely named Laymo had no trouble navigating to Hell’s Gate. It did face one early hurdle, the cage for the transfer case digging into the rock and leaving a deep gouge, but the limo crawled up the rocks with ease on a different path, the transfer case unscathed.
The true test was Hell’s Gate, a narrow passage up slick, steep rocks. The trail features a 20- to 30-degree incline in the throat, with some portions peaking at 45 degrees. The limo had little trouble making it down to the base of the gate, and it made quick work of the ascent back up, slowly crawling up the steep rock face.
It seems as if off-roading has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Automakers are making more crossovers and SUVs than ever, and some are pretty capable, giving owners new-found vehicular freedoms they can explore. The abundance of high-riding vehicles means fewer sports cars and hot hatches, but off-roading still produces car enthusiasts, which is a win in our book.
Buyers can now choose between icons like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, which the automaker discontinued building in 1996. People can also build their own unique off-roader like Layton, taking a non-off-road vehicle and turning it into a Moab dominator. It’s surprising how capable this limo is on the grueling trail.
