Alex Ross of SharkWerks
Its hard to pick up a Porsche magazine or browse a Porsche forum with out seeing a SharkWerks Porsche being mentioned in utter excitement.
They have produced fantastic Porsche’s like the Porsche Cayman RS350 and the Porsche TechArt GT Street by SharkWerks (just to name a few). Alex Ross from SharkWerks takes moment and tell us more about what makes them tick!
PH: How did you guys start SharkWerks? Sitting around the starbucks and said “We should start a shop that creates Porsches in psychopath mode?”
[ALEX:] I started messing around with cars right around the time that Joan and I had sold www.sharkyextreme.com (a PC technology/tweaker web site) in 2000. The turbo ended up being one of the quicker and most modified cars in the Bay Area and by late 2003 I organized and entered our 996 Twin Turbo into a magazine shoot out. Around that time I had met James who was really interested in what we were doing and helping us go much further from a technical aspect. His skills are very unique in that he is one of the few people that can really take apart twin turbo, GT2 and GT3 motors (having had so much experience on Porsches previously). He always seems to be one-step or two ahead in terms of planning out what we are going to do with a car and is able to put his theories into realism every time.
PH: You must have the best Job ever! Do you get to drive a ton of Porsches? Whats the biggest perk of the Job?
[ALEX:] Thank you, it’s certainly very challenging, fun and different almost on a daily basis.
PH: Whats your daily driver?
[ALEX:] It changes a lot. I’ve driven either an 800HP 3.8L 996TT, 2009 997S, 2007 3.9L 500hp GT3RS, a 99 C2 track car (which is still miss) or even a 930 when it comes to Porsche. When I’m trying to get into work and avoid the traffic I’ll scoot along in a hybrid (which we all own) as well. Strange I know.
PH: When was the first time you saw a Porsche or experienced?
[ALEX:] One of my mother’s friends had an early 80s cobalt blue 930 Turbo. That was the one. I got a ride in it and had never really felt the effects of a “turbo” until then.
PH: What was the model?
[ALEX:] 930 Turbo
PH: When was the first time you drove a Porsche?
[ALEX:] I’d test driven some 1999 C2’s right after I moved to the Bay Area in 2000 (got a late start being from London).
PH: What was your first Porsche?
[ALEX:] 2001 996 Twin Turbo
PH: How many Porsches have you owned?
[ALEX:] 2010 997GT3, 2009 997S, 2007 997 GT3RS, 2006 Cayman S, 2001 996 Twin Turbo, 2001 996 Twin Turbo (Tip), 1999 996 C2, 1979 930 Turbo.
PH: Why did you get rid of them? If you did?
[ALEX:] The 930 was a lot of fun and classic looking but the SMOG factor wasn’t fun. The C2 was a great project that James and I put a lot into but we knew we had the RS coming so it had to make way (in terms of space). The 996TT Tip was taken as far as it could go so we wanted to replicate it on another one that was a 6speed. The Cayman S was used for development of our RS350 kit and after completion we had to make room for the 997S PDK car so we’re down to the 2010 997GT3 and the RS at this moment.
PH: What is your Porsche now?
[ALEX:] 2010 GT3 and 2007 GT3RS.
PH: Do you think you’ll ever sell your Porsche anytime soon?
[ALEX:] The RS is a keeper but we always believe in buying, driving and owning a Porsche before working on it and also before developing any parts of it.
PH: What would be your next Porsche? (If I really had a choice, I’d get a Porsche 904)
[ALEX:] That’s James’ favorite and he has a beck 904 (in orange) and it’s right up there. I think as far as driving goes nothing touches the RS. It’s so much fun, visceral and usable at the same time. I’ve driven CGT’s, GT2’s etc.. and as wonderful as they are I come back to the RS and am happy. Next Porsche might be the new turbo….
PH: What are your favorite bookmarks and links?
[ALEX:] http://sharkwerks.com/porsche/
PH: Do you work on your Porsche? To what extent? Change Oil?
[ALEX:] Only under James’ strict supervision and or with his permission!
PH: Where do you get your car serviced? (When and if you have to?)
[ALEX:]We do everything here at the shop.
PH: What is your most fondest/vivid memory of your Porsche? Was it a road trip?
[ALEX:] I’ve honest had so many but driving the first 996 Turbo to a 10 second pass in the 1/4mile in 2004 was fun- especially when about 10 other tuners had failed to do so (us included) only a few weeks earlier at a big tuner shoot out. Getting to ride along in our RS or other built cars with pro ALMS driver’s is also pretty special. They really show you what these cars can do.
PH: Do you drive your Porsche everyday? Drive it every weekend?
[ALEX:] As much as possible (yes!)
PH: Do you intend to do a “hand me down”? To your son/daughter? Grandson/Granddaughter?
[ALEX:] Haven’t got any kids so I’ll have to figure out something… Hmm…
PH: Do you belong to a club? Do you guys have weekly coffee meetups?
[ALEX:] Usually go to a local exotic car meet on Saturday Morning’s in the Bay Area. Other than that I’m a member of the local PCA.
PH: Would you like to give a shout out to anyone? Guys that helped you out, etc..? (Show them some ‘love’ and appreciation)
[ALEX:] Absolutely- there are honestly so many that it’s going to be tough. Hats off to James, Joan and Dan, without whom there would simply be no SharkWerks to go to every day. The guys at Evolution Motorsports, TechArt/CEC, Champion Motorsports and many other vendors/suppliers I’ve missed.
PH: What is your dream Porsche? Something that you’ll never let go, my dream Porsche is the 904/GTS.
[ALEX:] I’ve always thought the GT1 would be pretty crazy to drive every day but… Id’ put a 904 in there too somewhere.
About SharkWerks.
SharkWerks, located in Northern California’s Bay Area, is owned by long-time Porsche enthusiasts James Hendry & Alex Ross (Sharky) and successful entrepreneur Joan Wood.
Mon – Fri: 9am – 5pm PST Saturdays 9am-1pm by appointment only
4444 Technology Drive
Fremont, CA 94538
Mainline: (510) 651-0300
Fax: (510) 651-0400
E-Mail alex@sharkwerks.com
Here are some of the magical SharkWerks projects that makes people just say “WHOA!”
SharkWerks took delivery of a green 2007 997 GT3RS project car in the summer of 2007 and ever since then has gone on to be known as "ZKERMIT" and featured in several magazines as well as on TV. We got this RS with the full intent of tweaking what is already one of the purest modern-day Porsches. We weren't happy with the weight and sound of the stock exhaust so we fabricated our own bypass system which we now sell as a fully-fledged product. We also worked closely with HRE to custom-build some light weight C-21 19 inch wheels and changed the offsets to remove the factory spacers. We also went on to build the motor from a 3.6L to a 3.8L with our RS460 kit and more recently to a 500hp 3.9L Spec Engine.
The SharkWerks Project Cayman S was with us for some two years in which time she was used as the development platform for the SharkWerks/EVOMS/RSS RS350 kit. Not only was she regularly tracked but she also graced the cover of Excellence Magazine (April issue) and was received even more praise in the March issue of European Car Magazine. This was one very special Cayman S...
For this classic white 2009 997TT we added EVOMSit ECU Tuning, EVOMS BRV’s, Cargraphic loud exhaust, Bilstein PASM-compatible coil-overs, and RSS sway bars. This is what we like to call our Stage II kit around here. Reducing back-pressure as well as a solid re-tune for 91 octane yields about 580hp! Riding on 19 inch light-weight Champion RS171s or HRE Monoblok P43s (in winter) she looks the part too. To make things easier for approaching and getting out of those steep driveways we also installed the Cargraphic Airlift system: The first step was to remove the rear bumper and stock exhaust system to free up some flow back there and reduce the lag. A Cargraphic Loud exhaust system was chosen for this car.
Once in a while we get a car that literally has every possible stone over-turned and this 2009 GT Silver one is most certainly it. Seriously, with an EVOMS EVT700 kit, a full TechArt Type II body kit, a full suspension over-haul (including all the RSS/SharkWerks links/arms and TechArt Noselift kit) and some HRE wheels this has to be my all-around favorite TT to date that we've done so I'd figure I'd share some of the fun.
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