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The Camfather: Ed Iskenderian | Episode 21

10/18/2021
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Show Notes

For our final episode of Season 2, we got to speak with a legend. But Ed Iskenderian isn't just a legend. He made his mark at the birth of hot rodding and has been shaping its course ever since. Isky came to visit us during the Speedster Reunion at the Museum of American Speed and was kind enough to give an interview in front of a live audience.

Isky just turned 100 years old. He had traveled from Los Angeles, spent the weekend riding along in various early hot rods through Nebraskan back roads, and that morning he toured our dyno shop to watch early banger powered speedsters get tested and tuned. That’s an itinerary that would wear any of us out, regardless of age. Even so, Isky spent the hours before we talked to him darting around the museum like a little kid, poking around the early engines on display, pocket flashlight in hand.

We got to hear about the birth of hot rodding, the post-war automotive explosion and how Isky made his first cams. He talked about the Cam Wars, told stories about John Athan, Scotty Fenn, Cook and Bedwell, Joaquin Arnett, and what it was like to meet Ed Winfield for the first time. He talks about the NHRA fuel ban, getting kicked off the Salt Flats by the Air Force before WWII and so much more.

Don’t miss Isky!

Photos

A proud young Ed Iskenderian leans on his "gow job".
Isky joined us at the Museum of American Speed for the Speedster Reunion, a unique event that brings out a huge variety of early cars. And he still knows how to pose with a roadster!
Isky and his roadster made one of the first Hot Rod Magazine covers.
Back in the day, you could send away to Isky Cams for one of these photos of Ed and his already classic and iconic hot rod.
Ed references this photo in the episode. His brother Luther and pal Herman Lamb are fooling around after propping up one side of the car to pour lead into the unused exhaust passages before installing the Maxi heads..
A true hot rodder, Ed was right in the thick of things during the Speedster Reunion. Here he is in John MacKichan's Cragar-headed A roadster.
This is where it all started for Isky. Ed Winfield showed him the ropes on this very cam grinder.
The immortal Isky roadster on display in the Museum of American Speed.

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