[2] After suffering a number of failures, and experimenting with Model As and Bs, he turned to the crankshaft of the flathead, which had larger bearings; it proved stronger.
[2] He fitted Maxi F cylinder heads and a custom-built "slingshot" intake manifold (provided by Ed Winfield).
[2] Iskenderian filled the combustion chambers with cast iron, then rebuilt them under the guidance of Winfield, producing an astounding (for the period) 13:1 compression ratio.
[2] When the war ended, Iskenderian (like many other hot rodders) applied the experience and expertise gained in the Army to car building.
[5] In the 1950s, Iskendarian was the first to offer contingency awards to racers;[5] these small cash payments for applying corporate decals help amateurs continue to race, and have become big business.
Not limiting his focus, Iskendarian offered the first complete valvetrain kits, including camshaft and valve gear, for stock racing classes, as well as street cars.
[5] Iskendarian got together with Vic Edelbrock Jr., Roy Richter, Bob Hedman, Robert E. Wyman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand Jr, Dean Moon, Al Segal, and Willie Garner in 1963, forming the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association, now known as SEMA, serving as its first president during 1963–1964.