It seemed like he’d live forever, but not even Ed Iskenderian was immortal. He passed away on February 4, 2026, at the ripe old age of 104.
Hot rodders around the world know Iskenderian for the camshaft business he built in California, the locus for acceleration runs that gave fuel to cars from Detroit and beyond. That camshaft machine he bought after returning from Air Force duty in World War II was the impetus that garnered attention from racers from all realms, on land and water, to this very day. Not bad for a young 20-something who had previously modified his Model T roadster for top-end dry lake runs.
During the pre-Internet era, Isky Racing Cams ads were regulars within the pages of many periodicals. Iskenderian was also a founding member of the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association, known today as the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) that brings together the aftermarket in Las Vegas every November.
It’s been said many times that veterans of the Second World War are of the “Greatest Generation.” It also could be said that Ed Iskenderian was the last man standing, a remnant of the past that produced the present. Godspeed, hot rodding’s elder statesman!
