Legendary Hot Rodder Ed ‘Camfather’ Iskenderian at 104

By Tara Hurlin

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Updated
February 5, 2026

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The automotive world is missing Ed Iskenderian, the legendary “Camfather” and pioneer of hot rodding, as of February 5, 2026, at the age of 104 in Los Angeles. Born in 1921, “Isky” became an iconic figure in the performance industry after founding Isky Racing Cams in 1939, where his custom-ground camshafts revolutionized drag racing and speed equipment. A veteran of World War II and a founding member of SEMA, Iskenderian’s legacy as a technical innovator and larger-than-life personality has left an indelible mark on automotive culture.

A Life of Innovation and Grit

Ed’s story began in the dust of the dry lakes at Muroc, where he spent his pre-war years obsessed with speed. After serving in the military, he returned to a rented shop where he began hand-grinding camshafts that would eventually redefine engine performance. He wasn’t just a machinist; he was a pioneer who introduced the world to the “Track Grind,” the “Mushroom Track,” and revolutionary roller tappet designs that helped race cars shatter records across the country.
Photos: Museum of American Speed

Ed Isky, the Legendary Innovator

Ed was the first to apply Hard-Face Overlay Metallurgy to cam lobes, a necessity as racers began using nitromethane and superchargers, which otherwise flattened traditional cams under extreme pressure. He developed High-Density Chilled-Iron Lifters specifically for the emerging “Fuel Burning Supercharged Dragster” (now Top Fuel) class, providing the durability needed to handle high-rpm loads without failing.

The Rev-Roller, introduced in 1958, was a groundbreaking innovation that replaced traditional flat followers with roller followers, drastically reducing friction and allowing for much higher valve lift and duration. As cam lifts became more aggressive, standard springs couldn’t cope, so Isky introduced Vasco Jet 1000 Valve Springs, which were aerospace-grade springs used to prevent “valve float” and allow engines to reach previously impossible RPMs. He also created the industry’s first hydraulic racing cams and specialized Anti-Pump-Up Hydraulic Lifters, which allowed hydraulic cams to perform at high RPMs without the valves hanging open.

In the late 1950s, Ed became the first to employ computers for precision Computer-Aided Cam Design, resulting in legendary profiles like the Polydyne Profile 505 Magnum. Finally, he invented Adjustable Rocker Arms, which allowed engine builders to fine-tune valvetrain geometry for the first time, a “game-changer” for optimizing performance across different racing applications. Isky also pioneered the Anti-Cam Walk Kit and Offset Cam Keys/Bushings, which gave racers total control over cam timing—a critical factor in squeezed out every ounce of horsepower.

The Architect of an Industry

Isky didn’t just build parts; he built a culture. He was a marketing visionary who purchased one of the first ads in the second-ever issue of Hot Rod magazine, sensing the movement before it had a name. He created the “Camfather” persona, complete with his signature cigar and a sharp wit that made him a beloved fixture at every NHRA event. He championed the “Isky Decal,” turning a simple brand logo into a badge of honor for the world’s fastest racers.

A Legacy That Never Quits

Even past his 100th birthday, Ed remained a constant presence in the industry, still visiting his shop in Gardena and sharing stories with generations of enthusiasts. His life reminds us that true success is found where passion meets hard work. He didn’t just make engines run faster; he fueled the spirits of dreamers who believed that with the right cam and enough grit, they could catch the horizon.

Though his name is synonymous with the high-performance industry, it is his warmth, his relentless curiosity, and his unmistakable laugh that will forever echo in the garages of hot rodders everywhere.

 

Ed Iskenderian

By George Mattar

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September 23, 2018
in Muscle Cars

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Today he’s still the Camfather, and you’ve likely, at some point, seen the caricature of Ed Iskenderian, holding a camshaft in a threatening pose and puffing on huge cigar while dressed in a tuxedo, Vito Corleone-style.
Keep Watching
S2E13: HEMMINGS GARAGE 4.8L LS Dyno TestIsky, as he’s even better known, was born in California, in 1921. His parents ran a vineyard in Tulare, but lost it when frost killed their grapes. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Los Angeles. After graduating from Polytech High School, he began a machinist’s apprenticeship. In 1939, Isky built a T-bodied Ford roadster powered by a Flathead V-8. He ordered his first camshaft from the great Ed Winfield, the master cam grinder who ultimately was unable to keep up with demand for his wares.



Iskenderian reasoned that if cams were so hard to get, why not simply grind his own? In 1946, he bought a used cylindrical grinder, to which he fitted a cam-grinding attachment that he designed and built himself, and still owns today.



One of Isky’s sons, Richard, said his father took his Flathead-powered Ford out to the dry lakes in California as the hot rod culture began. “His car always ran great, and some of the guys saw that and asked if he could grind a cam for them. He said ‘sure,’ and began grinding cams to make a living. I know he never envisioned it getting this big.”



Business indeed grew, and as Isky told hot rod historian Ed Almquist, “We didn’t have champs to brag about, so we advertised, ‘Winners use Isky Cams.’ In fact, the NASCAR boys kept it a close-mouthed secret that my cams’ broad power curve made passing quicker.”



As the Fifties became the Sixties, Isky displayed a heretofore-unseen gift for loudly promoting his cams. He gave his newest profiles dynamic or exotic-sounding names like Polydyne 505 Magnum, Five-Cycle and Superleggera 550. At major drag races, Isky was one of the first to promote himself with T-shirts, which were made by his own silk-screening outfit.



Before the dawn of million-dollar sponsorships, Isky had a handshake agreement with Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, who was shattering West Coast records in the early 1960s. By 1966, Isky’s business was making about 50 cams a day, and more than that during the racing season. Isky was no longer a stand-alone industry, as he now had competition from Harvey Crane and Bruce Crower. Isky nevertheless kept ahead of the game, and when the first energy crisis shocked America in 1973, Isky introduced his “Mileamore” camshafts. They featured shortened timing, which improved fuel economy and low-end torque all at once, but not without a sacrifice of top-end rpms. Isky attributes the birth of drag racing to making his business grow. He also credits fellow performance pioneer Vic Edelbrock Sr., who encouraged his distributors to also stock Isky’s cams, with his success.




Although Isky wasn’t the first person to grind high-performance cams, his innovations included hard-faced lobes, hydraulic racing cams, along with anti-pump-up and chilled-iron lifters. He also marketed coordinated cam and valve-spring assembly kits. Isky was also the first to employ computers to aid in precision camshaft design. In 1963, Isky was a founding member of the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association, today renamed as the Specialty Equipment Market Association, which still has its original acronym, SEMA. He served as SEMA’s first president, in 1963 and 1964.



When economy cars became popular and gas mileage became important to people, Isky designed new economy camshafts: the SuperCams for economy/performance and the MegaCams, which Iskenderian advertises as its best in street/performance hydraulic camshafts. Iskenderian Camshafts is now located in Gardena, California, within a four-building complex that occupies more than 75,000 square feet.



Today, the company continually introduces new products, and Isky’s sons, Richard and Ron, oversee the operation. Recently, they introduced new .904-inch-diameter lifters for both small- and big-block Chevys. Engine builders had long been asking for them, and they feature extra-large, .810-inch-diameter bearing shells for use in severe-service oval-track performance applications.



Richard Iskenderian said his dad comes into the factory occasionally, usually in the late afternoon, following lunch with longtime buddy Nick Arias, the famed piston maker, and about a half-dozen other hot rod pals. “They get together for lunch at a burger place down the street. Dad will come in and help out, and is always doing something. He is still smoking cigars, but when he gets a cold, he’ll stop for a few days. He keeps busy with projects at the company, and that keeps him going.”



Richard said that, according to family history, his father got the nickname “Isky” back in high school when some of his teachers could not pronounce his name, and it stuck.



Richard said Iskenderian Camshafts now focuses on products for oval track and drag racing, and on supplying customers with camshafts and other valvetrain parts. He said there’s still a market for muscle car cams, valvetrain parts and related components, but it’s smaller than it was 15 or 20 years ago. Nonetheless, American high performance remains a big seller, he said, specifically roller cams for the LS1 and LT1 Chevrolet engines of the early and mid-1990s.



Meanwhile, Isky himself enjoys good health, and as Richard quips, “He’s like George Burns, but not as slim. His health is-knock on wood-very good, and although retired, he comes in and still gets involved in many projects.”

 

Hot Rod Hero Ed ‘Isky’ Iskenderian Endures Punch to the Face During Assault Near Home

By Tara Hurlin

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Updated
June 24, 2024
in Hot Rods, NewsThe Camfather, at 102-years-old, is one tough legend
The 102-year-old Camfather, founder of Isky Racing Cams, was assaulted outside of his home in late-March. Despite enduring a punch to the face, he received the all-clear from doctors and walked away from the incident in otherwise good health.
Keep Watching
S2E13: HEMMINGS GARAGE 4.8L LS Dyno TestThe assailant, a homeless man who appeared to be after the legendary hot rod hero’s cell phone, was reportedly arrested shortly after the incident.

“A derelict fellow approached him, knocked Ed down and took off with Ed’s cellphone,” said racing PR professional Doug Stokes to Autoweek. “Ed called the police, and the police used the ‘find’ feature on Ed’s phone to track him down.”

Ed was taken to the emergency room by his son to assess any damages. Aside from a sizable bruise and a gash on his left cheek from the impact, he was given a clean bill of health. He even returned to his shop that same afternoon, then made an appearance at legendary NHRA team owner Roland Leong’s memorial the following evening at the Lions Automobile Museum.

Ed Isky announced the eventful day on his Facebook page, writing:

“Hi, racing pals, I just wanted you to know I was assaulted by a homeless man out in from of my house last Wednesday. The Police came and arrested him, and my son Tim took me to emergency to get checked out. I got a clean bill of health and went back to the Isky Plant later that same day. Then I went to Roland Leong’s Memorial the next day at the Lions Museum. You can’t keep this Legend down! Thanks for your concerns. The Camfather.”

 

Ed “Isky” Iskendarian Celebrated His 103rd Birthday At Lions Drag Strip Museum

By John Gilbert

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July 22, 2024

This article is dedicated to the memory of Rick Lorenzen, founder of Los Angeles County’s Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum. The Lions Drag Strip Museum was erected in 2019 and is constantly expanding to pay homage to drag racers, amateurs and professional alike in an indoor amusement park for seasoned gearheads and a university for students seeking to gain knowledge about California car culture.
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The Motor Underground: A Hot Rod Revolution Ep. 1

“Pure Hell” is an AA/FA 1932 Austin Bantam that started life in 1965 running a blown Chevy, which was swapped for a Chrysler Hemi in 1968. The Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum includes a tribute to Hollywood Star Cars, which are parked in a diorama village and a recreation through hand painted realistic murals, and historic dragsters to commemorate and illustrate the golden age of Lions Drag Strip.

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Legendary engine builder Ed Pink attended and here is signing a copy of The Old Master, a book written about Ed’s storied life and times racing.

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On any given weekend, the Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum will host a special event to celebrate an esteemed member of Southern California’s car culture or an iconic make of vehicle.

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On July 13, 2024, the Lion’s hosted Ed “Isky” Iskendarian and race fans to celebrate Isky’s 103rd birthday.----------------------

Here’s Isky, walking towards a throne capped with large gold “103” numbers where he sat and greeted a long line of race fans wishing Happy Birthday------------------------------

Iskendarian, often referred to as the “Camfather”, was born on July 10, 1921, in the Central California town of Tulare in the San Joaquin Valley. Ed’s folks were grape farmers in Tulare County but after several unfruitful bad seasons Ed’s parents were compelled to move south to Los Angeles County. It was right before World War II, racing on Culver City’s Venice Boulevard and on the Muroc dry lakebed in the high desert where pioneer hot rodders like Isky got their start. ------------------------

These were the places where the development high-performance engine parts to maximize power and increase top speeds happened. Ed still goes to work every day. In 2024, Iskendarian Cams consists of four buildings consuming 75,000 square feet and occupying a full city block of property.---------------------------------

“Boss” Bob Wells donated his street-legal ’49 Anglia with a Jimmy-blown Ford Cleveland engine to Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum as a tax write-off.---------------------

A celebration of live for Rick Lorenzen, the founder of the Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum, was held for the public on July 10-11, 2024. ---------------------------------

Lorenzen’s 1933 “Phantom Woodie” is powered by a 502-cu. in. Rat motor and was featured in the pages of Street Rodder magazineThis display of a period lineup of Stone, Woods, and Cook’s metallic blue Willys in a match race against “Big” John Mazmanian’s candy red Willys is a highlight of the museum.---------------------------------

Actor “TV” Tommy Ivo’s Buick Nailhead powered dragster. Tommy earned his “TV” nickname honestly, as he played Haywood Botts in Margie.-------------------------------

Tom Jacobson’s 409-powered Super Stock 1962 Chevy 2-door sedan was sponsored by Gledhill Chevrolet, which is local to Lions drag strip in Wilmington, CA.-----------------------

 

Isky Racing Cams Reveals 75th Anniversary Dennis Taylor-Built Hot Rod Roadster Tribute

By Tara Hurlin

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Updated
December 19, 2024

The talk of this build began a year earlier at the SEMA Show, while Alex Taylor of HOT ROD Garage and Dennis Taylor of Hot Rods by Dennis Taylor were in the Isky booth considering what kind of build would be the best to celebrate Isky’s 75th anniversary. The project came full circle at the 2023 SEMA Show with the reveal of Dennis Taylor’s Ed Iskenderian tribute car, which embodies the iconic hot rod that graced the cover of the June 1948 issue of HOT ROD Magazine.

Known as the cover car that started it all, Ed’s hot rod roadster was built from a ’23 Model T back in 1937 during a time when the phrase “hot rod” was mostly unheard of. Today, the car is one of the greatest hot rods of all time, built by one of the greatest hot rodders of all time.

After discussions and researching the history of the original build, Dennis decided to equip the tribute car with a modern Godzilla engine while still giving the hot rod a period-correct appearance. Of course, he would build it from scratch, including custom casting the valve covers and flying skull, replicating the same process used in the 1930s.

The “Tribute T” used a ’23 Model T for the base of the build. It was in rough shape, but Dennis crafted a flawless body and turtle deck out of the salvaged body parts using measurements from the original roadster. All the work was completed in less than eight months to be ready for the SEMA Show, with help from friends. Speedway Motors supplied the Godzilla engine with other necessary parts. The rear end was sourced from David Freiburger. Joe McCollough from Speedway Motors provided ample historical information and spent much time on the phone with Dennis’ wife, Debbie Taylor, assisting with the build.

The valve covers, being the center of attention on the build, ended up being one of the most difficult details. They had to be perfect, closely resembling the originals while fitting on the modern setup. After some trial and error, Nick Taylor of Nickky Bobby Inc., designed an adapter and the valve covers to fit on the Ford Godzilla engine using 3D printing, which perfectly portrayed the scripting provided by Megan Taylor. The 3D printed pieces were used as molds for casting. Once casted, countless hours of polishing ensued.

The tasteful Tribute T combines old school style with new school technology and was well-received at SEMA 2023.

 

• RedEnzo 2 days ago Wow an amazing life for sure- the only thing I have to say is that the stories of these guys are lost unless preserved. We have almost a duty to try to keep their efforts memorialized by recording the "old timers" so that all of us, and future generations will understand that we "stand on the shoulders of giants"- If you have a contact with older members of our community (car or otherwise) now is the time to whip out the phone and video a casual interview. Did that with my late father and have to say that even after 50 years of "hanging with Dad", a lot of it in the garage or on road trips to car events, I still learned more than a few things- knew he was a gearhead but did not know about a lot of the "other stuff" that fills our lives. RIP Ed- you were a great contributor to the advancement of our hobby and your service to our country is not forgotten.
  
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  Bbonnevilleflats 2 days ago I wore my new "Isky" decal with pride in 1955 on my '37 Ford coupe. I've been a fan of the CamFather ever since. No one made the hobby more meaningful than Ed. God Bless you my friend.
  
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  IIslander800 2 days ago With the recent passing of Gene Winfield and now Ed Iskenderian, it truly is the closing of an era, the birth of So. Cal. hot rodding. R.I.P., "Isky".
  
  For a comprehensive history of the origins of hot rodding in Southern California, search out a copy of "The American Hot Rod" by Dean Bachelor, including many great photos and profiles of all the greats like Ed Iskenderian. Bachelor, who was there at hot rodding's birth, completed his book, a passion project of his, shortly before his untimely passing in 1994.
  
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  DDaydreamer1959 2 days ago I met Ed a few times at various shows. What a gentleman and Hot Rod legend. Always asked what you were working on a gave advice on motor build. Sad that he has passed but he will be Hot rodding next level I’m sure. God bless CamFather and thank you for all you have done for us Hot rodders.