Isky Roadster displayed proudly at Lincoln museum
L. KENT WOLGAMOTT, Lincoln Journal Star
June 5, 2021
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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) The black hot rod with gleaming valve covers and pipes sits on a platform in the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed, prominently displayed even with its battered interior and torn-up tires.
That’s because the “Isky Roadster,” one of the first hot rods and likely the only 1930s hot rod to survive in its original condition, is the gem of the Lincoln museum’s extensive, world-leading collection of hot rods, race cars and engines.
“If this museum was a three-ring binder full of vintage baseball cards, I would consider this to be the Babe Ruth rookie card in that collection,” said curator Tim Matthews. “Not only is it an early hot rod that wasn’t changed, so you can see exactly how they were built, it was built by a guy named Ed Iskenderian.”
The famed Isky hot rod built by a young California hot rodding pioneer Ed Iskenderian on display at a museum in Lincoln, Nebraska | Museum photos
An iconic segment of the California hot rod culture is on display in a museum, but it’s a museum halfway across the country. The
Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, but is showcasing the famed little black Model T hot rod built by a youngster named Ed Iskenderian, who soon would become famous for creating high-performance camshafts. “Isky” anticipates celebrating his 100th birthday on July 10.
If the Nebraska location for the famous hot rod seems strange, consider that the car is displayed with Ed Winfield’s cam grinder that Isky used as well as with the only other pair of Maxi cylinder heads known to exist. The car is owned by Isky and is in Nebraska on a long-term loan.