A Childhood Dream

The year is 1977. 16-year-old Charles Utts is finally in the market for his first vehicle. He and his father drove to their local Camarillo, CA Dodge dealership, where Charles’s father showed him what would ultimately be a lifelong build: A newly repossessed 1977 Dodge Power Wagon. Being 16 at the time, Charles knew he couldn’t afford to have a truck solely in his name, but with the help of a gracious father the truck became his. From being a 4x4 to standing taller than Charles himself, he jokingly recalls, “That truck had just about everything no 16-year-old needed.”

From Garage Space to Glory Days

As much fun as Charles knew he would have in his Power Wagon, this was his daily driver, and there’s not much daily driving to be done on mud tires. Fast forward almost a decade, Charles made his Power Wagon a secondary vehicle while raising his daughter. After sending his daughter to college, Charles came home to a quieter house and an empty space in the garage. It was time to get the Power Wagon back to its glory days.

Charles got to work, stripping down the bone-stock Dodge to bare chassis, and over time rebuilding his childhood dream. His chassis was powder-coated, the body was repainted in OEM L8643 Red, and he began the process of building a custom engine for his Power Wagon. After the process began, the business fell into hard times, and not just his engine builder but his friend had to close his doors with an incomplete engine. This was disheartening to Charles, and his fire to finish his build dwindled. 

Fast forward again another 18 years. The now vintage Power Wagon sat in Charles' garage until his wife got curious. The truck sat and saw life through a garage door, and she wondered what was next for the truck. That also got Charles thinking, 'What if?' That's when he dialed up Brian Finch and the team at Finch Performance.

Detroit Speed DNA, Finch Performance Execution

One interview changed everything. When NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham talked about building with Detroit Speed, Charles was hooked. “When Ray Evernham speaks, you listen,” he says, still picturing the flawless stance of Evernham’s A-Body dressed in DSE hardware. Inspiration turned into action, and soon Brian Finch and the crew at Finch Performance were at the helm, transforming Charles’ first truck with that same uncompromising standard of quality.

What once was a 20+ year project turned into a year and a half of expertise as the team at Finch Performance turned this Power Wagon into the Power Wagon R/T. This truck hauls a little more than the mail. With a 6.2-liter Dodge Hellcat Jailbreak under the hood, there’s well over 800 horsepower pushed to the rear tires. All that power is tamed through Detroit Speed’s QuadraLink suspension system, bolted into a Brian Finch Apex chassis. With a complete Detroit Speed X-Gen 595 front-end kit, Charles and his Power Wagon R/T are ready to take on any street they see.

Charles doesn’t keep his Power Wagon for a pretty day, though. This R/T is a full-fledged race truck. With full autocross gauges, a custom interior, and a custom sound system, Charles rides in style to all the events he competes in. Did we mention he’s good, too?

A Lifelong Love, Built to Perform

With appearances on the horizon at ProTouring Truck Shootout and the 2025 C10 Nationals, Charles and the Power Wagon R/T take truckin’ to the next level. After success in several corner-exit autocross events and proving himself as a standout at Mopar Heaven in 2024, Charles is looking forward to the next time he can show off his former 4X4. “It was the first love of my life, and it’ll be with me until I’m gone.”