2015 Dodge Charger "Red Demon": 11-Year Custom Show Build With 250+ Awards

Mike Klenofsky 

2015 Dodge Charger “Red Demon”

Instagram: @Red_demon_charger 

Photographer Name: Scott Hall and Manish

Instagram: @creative_visual_images and @CNSPHOTO 

The Best Birthday Surprise

I'm Mike Klenofsky, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. I moved out to Arizona when I was 14, and I'm now 67 years old. My wife is a native to Arizona and is 59. She's been my greatest supporter of our build from day one.

The moment my wife surprised me with the new Charger for my birthday, she was 100% in on building a custom car that we could be proud of and show at different events, allowing others to enjoy our build. We talked after she surprised me with the car about whether I wanted to build a high-performance car or a show car. Since this was going to be our only car, we decided to make it a custom showpiece.

This has been over 11 years building our car, and every part of it has been touched two to three times with changes and upgrades. It's been a labor of love, with both of us involved in every decision.

What Makes Red Demon Unique

I believe our car is very unique because it's truly one of a kind. The entire car—exterior, interior, engine bay, and trunk—is completely airbrushed with our own design that no one else has. We hired a professional illustrator to design our hood with our vision in mind, and the result is something that turns heads everywhere we go.

The car has been featured in 18 magazines, and I've won over 250 awards. The Red Demon is well known all over the Southwest, and I've participated in some of the biggest shows in the region. I'm with a club called Team Hybrid, which is well known everywhere.

Exterior: Three-Stage Red Pearl With Extensive Airbrushing

The exterior wears a custom three-stage red pearl paint with detailed airbrushed accents covering nearly every panel. This isn't just a paint job—it's rolling artwork. RS Auto Arts handled the custom paint, while HotAirBruce completed all the custom airbrushing work that makes this Charger instantly recognizable.

The wheels are one-of-a-kind custom two-piece units from KNRC featuring metal engraving and airbrushed finishes that complement the body's artwork. Gorilla splitters add aggressive styling at the front.

One of the most dramatic modifications is the vertical (Lambo-style) doors on all four doors. This isn't just front doors like many conversions—all four doors open vertically, creating a spectacular entrance at any show.

Engine Bay: Show Quality HEMI Power

Under the custom tilt hood sits the 5.7-liter HEMI V8, upgraded with long-tube headers, high-flow catalytic converters, and a custom cold air intake. But the performance upgrades are just the beginning—the engine bay has been completely customized with painted and airbrushed components that match the car's overall theme.

The custom tilt hood allows the entire engine bay to be displayed at shows, showcasing the attention to detail that extends to every corner of this build.

Interior: Starlight Headliner and Fiber Optic Magic

The interior is where the Red Demon really shines—literally. The custom interior features a starlight headliner with fiber optic lighting creating a night sky effect overhead. But it doesn't stop there—starlight accents illuminate all four door panels, extending the celestial theme throughout the cabin.

The multimedia system is comprehensive, with two headrest TVs and two sun visor TVs providing entertainment for passengers. Every interior component has been carefully customized to maintain the cohesive red and black theme that defines the car.

Trunk: Floating Amplifiers and Custom Enclosure

The fully customized trunk setup is a showstopper in its own right. Dual 12-inch Skar Audio subwoofers provide the bass, powered by floating dual 1,200-watt amplifiers displayed under plexiglass with integrated lighting. The visual effect of the floating amps is stunning, especially with the custom lighting highlighting every detail.

A custom fiberglass enclosure houses a 22-inch TV for rear entertainment, while the Air Lift Performance 3P air ride system with custom-painted and airbrushed tank provides the adjustable suspension. The entire trunk space has been transformed into a display piece worthy of the awards it has earned.

HZ Custom Audio handled the complete audio system installation, ensuring both sound quality and visual presentation meet show-car standards.

The Build Team

Custom Automotive Masters completed the vertical doors installation, engine bay work, starlight lighting, trunk build, and underglow systems. HZ Custom Audio handled the audio system installation. RS Auto Arts applied the custom three-stage red pearl paint. HotAirBruce completed all the custom airbrushing that gives Red Demon its distinctive appearance.

Current Sponsors

The Red Demon build is supported by several key sponsors: The Magic Man, Vertical Doors, American Car Craft, RS Auto Arts, Hot Airbrush, Air Lift Performance, Gorilla Splitters, Skar Audio, HZ Custom Audio, and KNRC Wheels. These partnerships have been instrumental in creating and maintaining the car's show-quality presentation.

Preparing for SEMA 2027

I'm currently preparing the car to be at SEMA for 2027. This will be the ultimate showcase for over a decade of continuous refinement and upgrades. The Red Demon represents what's possible when you commit to a vision and execute it with patience and attention to detail.

Future Plans

Our future plans may include additional lighting for the interior and exterior, and some possible engine performance upgrades. After 11 years, we're still finding ways to improve and evolve the build.

Dream Car

My dream car is a Dodge Redeye. The supercharged power combined with modern Mopar styling appeals to me, and it would be interesting to see what we could do with that platform using everything we've learned from building the Red Demon.

The Partnership That Makes It Possible

My wife has been with me every step of this journey. From surprising me with the car to supporting every modification decision over 11 years, this build represents our shared passion. It's our car, our vision, and our way of contributing to the car community. The 250+ awards and 18 magazine features are gratifying, but the real reward is doing something we love together and sharing it with fellow enthusiasts.

Follow the build on Instagram: @Red_demon_charger
Photography by: @creative_visual_images and @CNSPHOTO

Shout Outs:

• @Fasslyfe
•  @creative_visual_images
•  @cnsphoto
•  @KNRC
•  @hzcustomaudio
•  @verticaldoors.com
•  @WHEELSANDHEELS
• @themagicman_go
• @verticaldoors
• @air_lift_performance
• @airbrushbruce
• @hzcustomaudio

This feature originally appeared on Stance Auto Magazine - your source for the best car builds, modifications, and automotive culture.

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