David Monsaas of Bainbridge Island, Washington, is building another Mopar to add to his arsenal. With his street-trim, track-ready Duster already on the road for years, he is ready for a real street-legal racecar. His weapon of choice: a 1969 Dodge Dart GTS.

David bought the Dart around twenty years ago, and it’s been a project ever since. Over the years it has seen work here and there only to be interrupted by long periods of sitting. The chassis and roll cage were built in 2002 by a friend of David’s, Bill Bloomberg, who has since passed away. It’s only been in the past couple years that this car has seen some real progress, but why the sudden change?

“After having a life altering moment where I almost wasn’t around, I decided I better finish it so my son and I can race it,” David explained. David realized that it was important for him to finish the car so that he and his son could enjoy it both on the street and at the track. “I am making it street legal,” David told us. “Because why not?”

This has been more than just a project for David as well. Along with his injury, he also has had a pretty tough year. “It was just therapy for me after my brother died and my cabin burnt down.” David detailed. “It was something positive to do. It has been my shiny spot.”

Right now, David has the engine in place so that he can get the wiring together and fine-tune the way the suspension sits. After the that’s done and some adjusting is finished, he will take the engine back out. The way the frame is designed, the engine also sits about 10 inches further back and about four inches higher than stock. This pushes the motor against the firewall, so he had an old friend of his, Robert Lacey, make a removable panel for easy access to the distributor. David is also going to make a spacer to move the engine a little farther forward so things aren’t so tight.

Once completed the drivetrain will feature a 340 cubic-inch small-block, Holley Demon carburetor, 727 Torqueflite transmission with manual valve body, and a 4.56:1 geared Ford 9-inch rearend.

If that doesn’t impress you enough, he has also already installed MSD ignition components, Wilwood front disc brakes, and Strange engineering brakes in the back. “I’m thinking this will run in the mid to low 10s at the track,” David explained.

With all of that power under the car, the top of it has to look good too. David had the bodywork done at Nordland Boats in Tacoma, Washington, and the paint work done by Alex Sandas of Alexseal Yacht coating. The paintwork consists of five coats of clear over three coats of color. The original name for the color is F6 Bright Poly Green and it was a 1969 Mopar color. Alexseal created a new mixture to match it that they named after David’s excavating company: High Meadows Green. “I loved it,” he said, “High Meadows Green.”

David also added fiberglass bumpers to help reduce weight. When it comes time to complete the project he plans on using Lexan for the side windows, but stock glass in the front and back.  The interior features Auto Meter gauges, a stunning flat aluminum look, and a custom Pentastar stamped into the back seat area. There aren’t any door panels right now, and once complete they will be simple aluminum panels.

To get the project completed, David has to get the engine spaced how he wants, rebuild the transmission crossmember, adjust the front suspension, make the driveline, and get the interior finished. Everything else is pretty much just simple assembly. “It only weighs about 2,600 pounds,” David explained. “It’s got a lot of shit cut out of it.”

What do you think of David’s Mopar Racecar – is it too much or just right? Let us know in the comments below, and if you have a project of your own that you’ve been slaving away at, share it with us! Send us an email and yours could be the next project featured in “What Are You Working On?”.