Edward “Isky” Iskenderian, The Camfather, Has Passed Away
The “Camfather” has left the building. Edward “Isky” Iskenderian, 104, passed away February 3, 2026. Family members have said his passage was peaceful, which is an anomaly for a man whose entire lifespan was built on noise, vibration and harshness.
Born July 10, 1921 as the son of Armenian immigrant parents, Isky started life in California’s centrally-located Tulare County and grew up with a need for speed, especially after the family moved south to the Los Angeles area. Even in childhood all he cared about was fast cars and making them even faster. Always a tinkerer, with an innate passion for all things mechanical and quick, as a teen Ed Iskenderian built his first hot rod, a Ford Model T and raced that car at more than 120mph in dry lakes competition.
It was the first of countless times at a racetrack, thinking about racing, building machinery to race. And it took him quite a while to get that engine in the Model T up and running, moving from the “Fronty” overhead cam conversion to adopting the flathead V8, which had larger bearings and proved stronger and more durable.
In his 20s, World War II interrupted Isky’s self-made technical education and he joined the U.S. Army Air Force, afterwards returning to Southern California and forming the company that became Isky Racing Cams, originally located in Culver City and currently in Gardena. The enterprise began with a single, self-built cam grinding machine and went on to define camshaft machining.
Cam profiles produced by Isky and his company innovated the business and helped define how racing engines were designed, constructed and sold. His company integrated manufacturing with promotion, offering contingency awards and professional backing, primarily in the drag racing community.
It was Ed Iskenderian’s curiosity that defined his ability to distill engineering puzzles and his outsized personality that brought racers to his business. The awards that followed his lengthy career, including induction to Halls of Fame including SEMA’s, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association that made Isky their first president, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and Chevrolet’s “Legends of Performance” are only a few of the tributes he received during his extensive lifetime.
There’s no doubt that SEMA and the aftermarket industry wouldn’t have had the growth they’ve experienced over the decades without the influence of The Camfather, who became a mentor to millions, an ambassador for the industry and the sports of straight-line, oval and sports car road racing. He could – and did – regale anyone around him with his technical capabilities, his insights and his ability to make the impossible achievable.
Ed Iskenderian had a hard time slowing down and his appearances at car shows, conventions, races and shop gatherings continued into his centenarian years. He appeared at vintage drag races, at NHRA events, Nitro Revivals, at the Performance Racing Industry and SEMA shows, always carefully signing autographs, answering questions about engines, posing for photos and sharing stories that will be told for years.
Ed Iskenderian leaves behind his children Richard, Timothy and Amy, together with eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, his brother Ben – and all of us, the friends he made in his life. The global community of racers and builders is a bit smaller now, but Isky’s vision of speed, craftsmanship and passion will certainly endure. And most likely longer than the 104 years Ed Iskenderian shared with the motoring world.