Featured Folks Of Interest Ed Iskenderian

https://www.nhra.com/news/2026/ed-iskenderian-beloved-camfather-hot-rodding-p***es-away-104

 

Gonna miss him

 

By a strange coincidence today I am 1/3 into his book "Ed Iskenderian and The History of Hot Rodding" by Matt Stone. I have a few books on motorsport, and this is very well written with many never seen photos of early dry lakes racing. A true self-made man that lived a great life and helped many people along the way. Condolences to his family.

 

Back in 2001 or so I sent Ed this 30” x 42” poster for him to sign and when a few weeks time had elapsed I was getting concerned, somehow it hadn’t gotten mailed back. I called Iskenderian Cams and was told they would look into the matter. Sure enough, my original arrived along with a half dozen full size duplicates and some Isky swag.
A few days later Ed himself called to thank me as they hadn’t seen that poster in ages and said he had some printed in a smaller size as handouts. Well it was my wife that took that call, I was at work! I did eventually get to meet Ed at the 2017 Meltdown at Byron and I’ll always remember him as a generous, humble man.
Godspeed Ed.

 

I am sure he enjoyed his life, he definitely added to the enjoyment of my life. RIP Cam Father!

 

It is with great sadness to hear of Ed's p***ing. Condolence's to his family. Truly a life well lived. Another legend makes the trip to Hot Rod heaven.

 

What a life! Rest In Paradise Legend.....

 

There have been many in the hot rod industry worthy of words like pioneer and legend.
ISKY was "one of one", he will be missed.

 

What a life, hopefully he went without pain.

 

Whoa. Real grief. Real tears.
Yet, a distinct sense of celebration.

 

I met him about 30 years ago at the GNRS. Talked about his roadster. What a treat. RIP legend.

 

Goodbye Ed. Godspeed, and thank you.

 

104 years!!!!! At least he got his money's worth out of life!!!

 

..met Ed at the nostalgia drags at Byron, Illinois Dragway,...he was a friend to everyone he met; we need more guys like Isky. RIP

 

How do you say goodbye to an icon?What can you say about them that hasn’t already been said ? . I have no clue, but what I can say is that Mr. Iskendarian is, has been and always will be a legend, innovator and hot rod hoodlum( yeah, I said it) . There are many, many, many adjectives that are appropriate to describe this man. I prefer to think of him ( as does his family) as a humble husband, father and grandfather. I regret never having met him, but I feel like he had many stories to tell. My condolences to his family, friends and fellow hoodlums.

 

Godspeed. Respect /Legend/Racers Racer.

 

The Beginning Of An Era...R.I.P. Sir.. .

 

Our hobby and the world is worse off today because of Iskys p***ing. He did it all though...what a legacy. I've posted this here before..but here is a pic of Isky and another legend Fritz Voigt I took at the Long Beach swapmeet in 2014. These guys forgot more about hot rods than most of us will ever know. God speed Isky.

 

A great loss for hot rodding since the beginning. I met Isky at the LA Roadster show in 1987. He was so nice and told me how happy he was that we young guys were into hot rodding. I think I can safely say he was the last of the originals who started hot rodding at 104 years old. My condolences to the entire family and company.

 

That’s a great photo, and true to form. Ed always seemed to have a smile and friendly word for everyone.

 

I grew up in SoCal and Joe Reath introduced me to Ed when I was about 16 years old. I was one of the few guys in the mid-70's building flatheads (as a teenager). Anyway, I'd go and hang out at Isky's with Ed and his lifelong buddy John Athan.

In the early 80's I was ****yzing Harley KR roller cams and decided I wanted to try a roller cam in a flathead Ford. Went down to Isky's and showed Ed my cam graphs and told him what I wanted to do. Anyway, he didn't have any billet cam blanks for flatheads - so I asked him how a billet 8620 cam blank was made. He described to me the whole process (verbally).

I left and ordered some chunks of 8620 AQ/BQ and whittled out two blanks on my Dad's small lathe. Then I went down to Isky's with my two billet blanks in hand and asked for Ed. He comes out and I show him the two blanks and said I made what you were talking about - and showed him.

He said "Well, I told you how to make them, but I didn't think you'd actually make them. Now that you've made them, I guess I'm going to have to grind them for you!". He ground two different profiles - both with a ton of duration (as I requested).

So, I have two Isky flathead roller cams - one is currently in my 32 Cabriolet. It is one nasty MoFo. I sent a video of it running so Ed could hear it . . . as it sat in a box for 35 years before I ever built an engine to use it.

RIP Ed, you were one heck of a cool flathead friend!

Here is some music to help Ed on his way up to HotRod Heaven:

Flathead Roller Cam Music - 1932 Cabriolet - Dale Hays

 

I’m very late to the hobby having just turned 60 last year and only 8 yrs in, but as a kid I had heard of him. Reading about his life, his accomplishments, his character, we could only be so fortunate to live the life he led. Like everyone on here, he has affected all our lives in one way or another, and in my case, his legend will live on with my custom profile Isky ground cam for my flathead.
Feeling that his name was likely Armenian (I have a good Armenian friend), I checked and sure enough his family are. God speed to Ed, and sincerest condolences to his family and friends.

 

RIP Isky

 

Only slightly premature as he p***ed this morning.

 

Thanks Moriarity, I have that issue, and it looks like a good article, and since I have a Isky Cam in my 32 Deuce with a Hemi engine it has a special meaning for me.

 

Around 1968-69, I was 21-22 years old. I attended a national meet at Green Valley Raceway in Texas. Got caught in Texas downpour(heavy rain ina short period of time) away from any shelter. Was “drenched to the skin” and after the rain wandered my way back to the main part of the track. Ed Iskenderian saw me”looking like a drowned rat” and presented me a free Isky t shirt to help combat a shivering spectator. I can remember his exact words—-“Here kid, u need a fresh shirt”. I wore that Isky t shirt everywhere for years. Flatheads Forever!!!

 

Such a cool life story and he seemed like a really good dude.

 

From the NHRA site, R.I.P. Ed.

https://www.nhra.com/news/2026/ed-iskenderian-beloved-camfather-hot-rodding-p***es-away-104