mod a firehawk?
mod a firehawk? i wanted to get some opinions. I've got a 2002 firehawk in flawless condition with 12,xxx miles. i think around 12,500 miles or so. what do you guys think it would do to the resale value if i added some minor boltons to the car. i was thinking 92mm intake and throttle body with some long tube headers with the stock catback and that's it. i don't want to hurt the value of the car since its just something that sits in the garage and is only taken out for an occasional special event. i plan to try and sell it eventually. i've got all of the original equipment down to the factory installed tires. i recently put on some lowering springs and nitto drags just for the look. what does everyone think?
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Hilton Head. SC
If you are going to drive it, Mod it. Just did heads and cam on mine...wow, what a difference. It drives now, like it should have come out of the factory. The stock numbers can't do justice to what is out there now in new cars. I think the right mods only add to the value. However, if you want a trophy item 30 years from now, leave it stock. But the 12K already means it was meant to be driven and enjoyed.
Mods will hurt the value, including what you've already done. The way I look at it is that the value on these cars is low. It just is and it will remain so at least until used vettes cost a little more. So keep your original stuff, mod and enjoy. Demod and part those mods out later if you sell it.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 10
From: Maryland
Just keep the stock manifolds, intake and TB and switch them back later if you wish. Even if you decided to keep it like that permanently I don't think that tasteful, light bolt-on's like that will destroy the cars value.
Value, Shmalue, ..., Mod it & drive it.
It does no good to sit there & rot away with 200miles a year.
Get some enjoyment out of it while you can.
Who cares what it's worth 20years from now.
If you seriously want to make money in 10 or 20 years, ..., This car is NOT the method.
It does no good to sit there & rot away with 200miles a year.
Get some enjoyment out of it while you can.
Who cares what it's worth 20years from now.
If you seriously want to make money in 10 or 20 years, ..., This car is NOT the method.
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Verdad Gallardo i think i was misunderstood. i didn't mean that i wanted to keep the car for 10 or 20 years and sell it. i meant i want to sell it in a year or two. i just have the intake throttle body and headers lying here and was thinking of putting them on the car.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Allenton, MI
Value, Shmalue, ..., Mod it & drive it.
It does no good to sit there & rot away with 200miles a year.
Get some enjoyment out of it while you can.
Who cares what it's worth 20years from now.
If you seriously want to make money in 10 or 20 years, ..., This car is NOT the method.
It does no good to sit there & rot away with 200miles a year.
Get some enjoyment out of it while you can.
Who cares what it's worth 20years from now.
If you seriously want to make money in 10 or 20 years, ..., This car is NOT the method.
i'm just asking what would be worth more in a year or two. a stock firehawk untouched or a firehawk with the mods i listed. not 20 years from now. not looking to increase value of the car as a collectors item.
"The Wife" says mod away if you plan on keeping her till death do one of you part! otherwise mod away! engine work can't be seen by the naked eye. a turbo or supercharger on the other hand... alittle harder to hide 
Last edited by hawk584; Aug 8, 2012 at 06:41 PM.
Headers may be a good addition, but the intake/throttle body swap may not be worth it without some more mating mods, such as cam/head work.
If you're just gonna cruise around with occasionally, then it may not be worth it.
Just drive it & not worry about the value.
It'll go down in value whether you do headers or not.
Significantly just because it has headers? I doubt it.
If you're just gonna cruise around with occasionally, then it may not be worth it.
Just drive it & not worry about the value.
It'll go down in value whether you do headers or not.
Significantly just because it has headers? I doubt it.
TECH Regular
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 465
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa, Ontario
I would keep it stock.
If you NEED to mod, then try to keep it looking stock to the untrained eye. TB and LT with a catback are probably fine, lots of people wouldnt notice the difference visually.
My $0.02 anyways.... good luck!
If you NEED to mod, then try to keep it looking stock to the untrained eye. TB and LT with a catback are probably fine, lots of people wouldnt notice the difference visually.
My $0.02 anyways.... good luck!
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
I put a 383/ with H/C/I MGW Shifter, SLP longtunes, True Duals, Stage 2 HD clutch, and a few other little things, and I LOVE it. I feel like Firehawks are the best of the breed. So why not show it? I love having a rare car that can destroy anything short of a ZR1. You can't say yea my car is super rare then some POS GT mustang with a few bolt ons comes by and makes you look foolish. But that is also my 0.02 cents, but if you are selling it I say keep stock. If you end up keeping it, I saw the more mods the marrier.
i agree with you there. my best friend has a 10th anniversary firehawk that just went 10.2 on a bad pass. hoping for a mid 9 second pass next time out. car is beautiful but the stripes are kind of fading a bit. to bad those stripes are impossible to find.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,906
Likes: 673
From: Western North Carolina
Modding a 12,000+ miles Firewawk will hurt the value vs keeping it 'stock'. I keep up regularly with values and 'collector' type cars and modding is rarely a good thing. Almost every 'collector' will want or respond to the 'stock' example. Your very low mileage 'stock' Firehawk, if 'near mint', is very desireable. I personally would reply to an ad if it was for sale but I would pass over the ad if the car was modded. Most 'collectors' think this way. If the car had many miles then I would join the posters that say 'mod it' but you are asking a very specific question with goals attached. Leave it 'stock'.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
If you're looking to sell in a year or two, I'd leave it the way it sits. Some people buying a car want to make it "their own" and will mod it however they feel is right(probably taking off the parts you put on it and selling them). Also, with that mileage, you may even wind up with a small collector that wants the car.
do a cam made for manifolds , i think their are a few , buy a tb and port it , tune , and do some 4.10 or 3.73 gears , no one will know ifs modded and it will make it faster for you . You wouldnt even have to tell anyone about those because they couldnt tell it was modded.
