Ed "Isky" Iskenderian

A photo of Ed on a garage roof holding a crescent wrench. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky in an alley behind his house at 4807 W. Adams Avenue in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Jimmy Naim's roadster photographed in front of Isky's garage. Ed is behind the tire, while John Athan is checking the front end. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

After tilting Ed Iskenderian's 1924 Ford over to pour lead in the exhaust ports before bolting on the overhead valve heads, Isky and his buddies couldn't resist a little clowning around. According to Ed, the victims were his brother Luther in the car and friend Herman Lamb on the ground. They would pour lead in the exhaust ports and then drill a hole for the push rods. This would supposedly help the engine run cooler. Photo from The Bungholers of Hollywood Photo Collection.

Isky with his motorcycle. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

A young Ed decked out in his army air corps uniform. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky in front of Mercury Tool & Die Company in 1942. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Ed set a record for the Army Air Corps of 2000 sit-ups. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Ed's Air Corps friends near Santa Ana Air Station. Godfrey, Coney and Ed. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Mark Cravens, Harry Todd, Don Naim, John Athan and Ed at a WWII reunion at Earl Carroll Theater in Hollywood in 1944. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Ed Iskenderian's 1924 Ford Model T Roadster

A homemade 4X2 intake manifold that Isky built for the T. He said it didn't work very good. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky riding his big wheel bike in the Golden Jubille parade on Woodward Avenue in Detroit in 1946. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky: Ed Iskenderian and the History of Hot Rodding - Check price and availability on Amazon.com.

"Dr" and Ed somewhere on Harper Dry Lake. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky at the Salt Flats next to an unknown bellytank. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky at the 1956 Bonneville Nationals. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Isky grinding a cam for C-T Automotive at the 1956 Bonneville Nationals. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Ed with SEMA Trophy in 1973. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

Ed using Edelbrock's dyno to seeing how a cam performed. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

A T-shirt from Isky's 93rd birthday party. Photo courtesy of the Bungholers Car Club.

A photo of Ed taken at his 100th birthday party in 2021. It was a great party, with somewhere between 5 and 600 people attending. Photo courtesy of John Iskenderian.

Remembering the Legends

Edward “Isky” Iskenderian (July 10, 1921 – February 3, 2026) was an American hot rod pioneer, engineer, and entrepreneur, best known as the founder of Isky Racing Cams. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of postwar American hot rodding and drag racing, Iskenderian played a central role in advancing camshaft technology, engine performance, and the professionalization of the speed equipment industry. Nicknamed the “Camfather,” his innovations helped power record-setting race cars across dry lakes racing, Bonneville, drag racing, and stock car competition from the 1940s onward.

Iskenderian was a member of the Bungholers of Hollywood car club and remained closely associated with grassroots hot rodding culture throughout his life, even as his company grew into one of the most recognized names in the global performance aftermarket.

Early life and background

Iskenderian was born in 1921 in the grape-growing region of Tulare County, California. His family initially worked in viticulture, but a series of damaging frosts destroyed local vineyards, prompting the family to relocate to Los Angeles. While attending Polytechnic High School in Los Angeles, Iskenderian became deeply interested in mechanical work, focusing his early efforts on building and modifying a Ford Model T Roadster.

As a member of the Bungholers car club, he worked extensively with Model T engines. Iskenderian learned the fundamentals of automotive mechanics and engine modification. He experimented with early overhead-valve conversions, including Frontenac (Fronty) and George Riley cylinder heads, the latter often referred to by racers as the “multi-flathead.” Persistent crankshaft failures in Model T engines led him to search for stronger alternatives, eventually turning his attention to the Ford flathead V-8, which featured a more robust, counterbalanced crankshaft with larger bearings.

Iskenderian constructed his first hot rod using a Ford flathead V-8 equipped with Maxi “F” type overhead-exhaust cylinder heads and a slingshot intake manifold. With guidance from his friend and fellow engine builder Ed Winfield, Iskenderian filled and re-shaped the combustion chambers with cast iron, achieving a compression ratio of approximately 13:1—an exceptionally high figure for the early days of hot rodding. This vehicle later remained on display at Iskenderian’s manufacturing facility.

Technical training and military service

After graduating from high school, Iskenderian worked as an apprentice tool-and-die maker, a trade that strongly influenced his lifelong emphasis on precision manufacturing and quality control. His early career was interrupted by World War II, during which he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Assigned to the Air Transport Command, Iskenderian flew supply missions to Pacific island bases.

Following the war, Iskenderian returned to Southern California and resumed preparing his hot rod for competition at dry lake racing events.

Founding of Isky Racing Cams

During a rebuild of his flathead V-8 engine, Iskenderian sought a custom racing camshaft but encountered long production delays due to increased demand in the growing postwar hot-rodding scene. Rather than wait, he purchased a used cylindrical grinder and modified it—using his tool-and-die experience—into a universal cam-grinding machine.

The resulting camshafts demonstrated measurable performance improvements over existing racing cams and quickly gained attention among racers. Iskenderian’s cam designs were among the first to achieve 1 horsepower per cubic inch on gasoline in postwar Dodge Hemi V-8 engines and approximately 1.3 horsepower per cubic inch in Chevrolet 283 cubic-inch V-8 engines, benchmarks that were considered extraordinary at the time.

Innovations and industry impact

Iskenderian introduced numerous technological advancements that shaped modern racing and performance engineering. These included the industry’s first hard-face overlay camshafts, early computer-assisted camshaft design, and advanced cam profiles such as the 5-Cycle and Polydyne Profile series. He also developed the first hydraulic racing camshafts, enabling higher engine speeds while retaining street drivability.

To support these cam designs, Iskenderian pioneered complementary valvetrain components, including high-density chilled-iron lifters for fuel-burning supercharged dragsters, self-locking drop-in roller tappets, anti-pump-up hydraulic lifters, and advanced valve spring assemblies. He later introduced Vasco Jet 1000 valve springs to address the increased stresses of higher lift and duration cam profiles.

Beyond product development, Iskenderian played a key role in the evolution of professional drag racing. Under a gentleman’s agreement, he entered into what is widely regarded as the first corporate sponsorship of a race team with drag racer Don Garlits, an association that led to Iskenderian’s enduring nickname, “The Camfather.”

Contributions to street performance and industry organization

Iskenderian also focused on making performance technology accessible to street enthusiasts. He introduced the first coordinated camshaft and component kits, reducing guesswork for customers, as well as innovations such as Rev-Kits, anti-cam-walk systems for Chevrolet V-8 engines, and offset cam keys and bushings for precise cam timing adjustment.

In 1963, Iskenderian collaborated with several industry leaders to establish the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), later renamed the Specialty Equipment Market Association. He served as the organization’s first president from 1963 to 1964, guiding it through its formative years.

Later years

As consumer interest shifted toward smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles, Iskenderian expanded his product offerings to include economy-focused camshaft lines that emphasized drivability without sacrificing performance. These efforts resulted in the SuperCam and MegaCam product families, designed for street and performance applications.

Operational leadership of the company was later transferred to his sons, Ron and Richard Iskenderian, who continued to develop new camshaft profiles and valvetrain components while maintaining close relationships with racers and engine builders worldwide.

In 1985, Iskenderian was inducted into Chevrolet’s “Legends of Performance” and the SEMA Hall of Fame, becoming the only camshaft manufacturer to receive both honors.

At its Gardena, California headquarters, Isky Racing Cams grew into a multi-building manufacturing complex employing more than 100 specialists, supported by extensive dynamometer testing programs and ongoing engine development efforts. Iskenderian also authored numerous technical guides to assist racers and enthusiasts with camshaft installation, tuning, and engine optimization.

Death and legacy

Ed Iskenderian passed away on February 3, 2026, at the age of 104. At the time of his death, he was widely regarded as one of the last living links to hot rodding’s formative years, having been directly involved in the sport’s growth from prewar experimentation through the modern professional era.

Even after turning 100 in 2021, Iskenderian remained active within the motorsports community and was a frequent guest at racing events, museums, and industry gatherings. In June 2025, friends and colleagues celebrated his 104th birthday at the Lions Automobilia Foundation & Museum in Southern California, reflecting the deep respect he commanded across generations of racers, builders, and historians.

Iskenderian’s legacy extends beyond his technical innovations. Through pioneering sponsorships, bold advertising, and direct engagement with racers, he helped shape the identity of the American performance aftermarket. His work influenced countless engine builders and competitors, and the Isky Racing Cams name became synonymous with speed, reliability, and competitive success.

He is remembered not only for the camshafts and components that bore his name, but for his role in transforming hot rodding from a backyard pursuit into a global motorsports industry—while remaining firmly rooted in the culture and camaraderie that defined its early years.

Ed iskenderian's Cars

Ed Iskenderian's 1924 Ford Model T Roadster