Hi Everyone,

I am new to the forum and I was curious as to what mods were good to safely boost the hp of my FD without reducing longevity? I have a DP and Cat Back Exhaust but still running the stock cat. Other than that and a Radiator the car is completely stock.

Thanks in Advance

 

Read through the FAQ stickys in the 3rd Generation Section. They're organized and a great source of general knowledge on your car.
To your question...
The quickest way to increase power on these cars is to increase the boost level. But that's dangerous to the engine and stresses other components. So the best way is to make it more efficient.
The previous owner has already added a downpipe and cat-back. That's fine. The DP in particular is both a reliability mod and performance mod. Cooling is a huge concern on these cars. You said the car already has (hopefully) an upgraded all-aluminum radiator. Make sure the AST has been changed to metal, have the coolant flushed with as much distilled water to coolant as you can get away with where you live . There are other good cooling mods, but for now your set.
The only other thing to consider for increased performance is intake. You live in CA. IIRC you have both visual and practical emissions testing. As you read through the stickys watch for something called the "cheap bastard" intake modification. A member named adamc actually sells a kit. You could PM him. It allows the stock intake box to source ambient air without scavaging it from the intercooler duct and helps the car breath. It will also pass visual and usually doesn't require adding a boost controller.