Ed Iskenderian: July 2022 Person of the Month - American Hot Rod Foundation (2024)

See Also

Ed Pink Racing Engines forced to find new location - Hagerty Media2017 Bugatti Chiron: Again with the OverkillEd Iskenderian And The History of Hot Rodding Now AvailableCar and Driver: New Car Reviews, Buying Advice and News

This​​month​​our​​choice​​for​​the​​spotlight​​was​​a​​no-brainer.​​After​​all,​​how​​often​​do​​you​​get​​to​​raise​​a​​toast​​and​​wish​​a​​Happy​​101​​to​​a​​fellow​​hot​​rodder?​​Yes,​​it​​is​​true.​​Our​​hero,​​friend​, and​​platinum-level​​hot​​rod​​pioneer,​​Ed​​“Isky”​​Iskenderian​​(​​sometimes​​known​​as​​the​​“Camfather”​​),​​turned​​101​​on​​the​​10th​​of​​July.​​

Although​​much​​has​​been​​written​​and​​much​​is​​known​​about​​Ed,​​we​​want​​to​​make​​a​​point​​of​​outing​​him​​as​​one​​of​​the​​most​​dedicated​​keepers​​of​​hot​​rod​​history.​​Having​​Ed​​as​​one​​of​​our​​very​​first​​AHRF​​Advisory​​Board​​members​​has​​proven​​to​​be​​as​​much​​fun​​as​​it​​is​​invaluable.​​He​​is​​simply​​priceless.​​Of​​course,​​the​​fact​​that​​he,​​himself,​​is​​walking​​history​​is​​plenty.​​But,​​Ed​​is​​one​​of​​our​​favorite​​go-to’s​​for​​answering​​questions​​having​​to​​do​​with​​the​​“early​​days.”​​His​​incredible​​memory​​never​​lets​​us​​down​​, and​​any​​historic​​image​​or​​name​​that​​we​​send​​across​​his​​desk​​always​​has​​us​​pulling​​up​​a​​whole​​lot​​more​​in​​our​​net​​than​​we​​bargained​​for.​​One​​of​​our​​favorite​​little​​bonuses​​that​​we​​always​​seem​​to​​get​​from​​Ed​​is​​when​​we​​ask​​him​​if​​he​​remembers​​someone​​, and​​he​​lights​​up​​and​​not​​only​​begins​​reporting​​on​​the​​person​​but​​will​​oftentimes​​mention​​the​​person’s​​address​​at​​that​​time​​…​​along​​with​​what​​their​​parents​​did​​for​​a​​living.​​No​​joke!​​His​​ability​​to​​store​​away​​this​​kind​​of​​data​​and​​report​​it​​back​​with​​great​​excitement​​is​​one​​of​​our​​favorite​​things​​about​​the​​Camfather​​and​​should​​be​​a​​lesson​​to​​us​​all.​​At​​101​​years​​of​​age,​​he​​continues​​to​​be​​just​​as​​curious​​as​​he​​has​​always​​been​​, and​​we​​believe​​this​​to​​be​​his​​secret.​​He​​is​​curious​​about​​everything;​​mechanical​​creations,​​racing​​of​​all​​types,​​the​​never-ending​​development​​of​​the​​internal​​combustion​​engine,​​etc.​​etc.​​But,​​what​​he’s​​most​​curious​​about​​is​​other​​people.​​Who​​are​​they?​​How​​do​​they​​spell​​their​​name?​​What​​is​​their​​nationality?​​Where​​are​​they​​from?​​What​​do​​they​​do?​​He​​asks​​these​​questions​​and​​nods​​with​​great​​anticipation​​while​​waiting​​for​​the​​answers.​​He​​loves​​to​​learn​​and​​to​​learn​​about​​anyone​​he​​meets.​​Is​​this​​not​​the​​secret​​to​​a​​long​​and​​energized​​life?​​We​​sure​​think​​so.​​

Well,​​if​​you​​ask​​him,​​he’ll​​say​​that​​it’s​​really​​about​​“having​​as​​much​​hot​​sauce​​and​​spicy​​food​​as​​possible,”​​but​​we​​will​​go​​out​​on​​a​​limb​​and​​say​​that​​it’s​​probably​​a​​combination!​​

We​​wish​​our​​friend​​and​​hot​​rod​​hero​​the​​greatest​​of​​birthday​​months​​, and​​we​​see​​no​​reason​​not to​​believe​​that​​he’ll​​outlast​​every​​last​​one​​of​​us.​​After​​all,​​there​​is​​still​​so​​much​​to​​learn​​and​​discover​​…​​and​​with​​plenty​​of​​hot​​sauce​​on​​the​​side.​​

Happy​​Birthday,​​Ed​​Iskenderian!​​

If you’d like to learn more about Ed, you can also check out his story in our Gallery of Pioneers & Legends: https://ahrf.com/ed-iskenderian/

Why stop now? Here are a few more things you might like:

• John Sticha: February 2022 Member of the Month
• Alex Xydias: April 2022 Member of the Month
• Joel Driskill: November 2021 Member of the Month
• John Wolf: December 2021 Member of the Month