AHRF Members of the Month

Each month, the American Hot Rod Foundation features a “Member of the Month” as a way for folks to get to know some of their fellow supporting AHRF Members (or for those of you who are not yet members, to learn more about our Member community!)

The Pasadena Roadster Club!

Augie Esposito, Bob Kenz, J.D. Massey, and Warwick Nethercoat … and the revival of the Pasadena Reliability Run!  Everyone here at The American Hot Rod…

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The American Hot Rod Foundation Advisory Board

As we move into a new year and reflect a little on where we’ve been and where we’re going, it has made all of us…

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The Racers !!!

Our Featured Member series will be a little different this time around, as we would like to take this opportunity to applaud all of our…

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Chris Eichert

Those of you who follow our AHRF Hot Rod of the Month contest may recognize Chris as the owner and steward of The Pyle Special…

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AHRF Member #0001: Baptiste Racine

Who was the very first person to sign up as a supporting member of the AHRF? Well… the answer is… France-based hot rodder Baptiste Racine!

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Ed “Isky” Iskenderian

When we think of our friend Ed Iskenderian (known to most, simply, as “Isky”), we think of his child-like enthusiasm, curiosity, and youthful attitude toward…

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Featured Hot Rodder: Willie Ohnstad

Willie Ohnstad's story, the ’32 Ford he built as a teenager, and how he inspired others to be great examples of what we think hot…

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Author and Historian – Tony Baker

A lifelong resident of southern California, Tony went from being another car-crazy kid to developing an interest in the history of the hot rod scene…

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Alex Finigan

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of yet another friend and supporter of the American Hot Rod…

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Michael deLesseps

This month we say goodbye to our friend and AHRF contributor, Michael deLesseps, who passed away on February 8th of this year at the age…

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Jeff Beck

All of us here at The American Hot Rod Foundation are shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Jeff Beck. Since our launch…

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Seth Hammond & Rob Manson – Keepers of the Hot Rod Flame

We want to take a moment and honor a couple of friends and supporters of the American Hot Rod Foundation. Their names are Rob Manson…

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Ed Gallagher

Besides being a first-class hot rodder and hot rod builder, Ed checks our biggest box thanks to the fact that he’s a hot rod historian…

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Bruce Meyer

Born in Los Angeles, Bruce got the bug for cool machinery at an early age. Being a little kid in Southern California in the 1940s…

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Pat Ganahl​

Everyone here at The American Hot Rod Foundation is simply heartbroken to have lost our friend, Pat Ganahl, on Saturday, August 20, in a vintage…

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Steve Beck

Born​ ​and​ ​raised​ ​in​ ​Santa​ ​Monica,​ ​California,​ ​Steve​ ​was​ ​a​ ​car-crazy​ ​kid​ ​from​ ​the​ ​drop​ ​of​ ​the​ ​flag.​

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Happy Birthday, Ed Iskenderian!

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.​ 

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Dr.​ ​Fred​ ​Simeone​

When​ ​you're​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​something​ ​as​ ​specific​ ​as​ ​the​ ​preservation​ ​of​ ​automotive​ ​history,​ ​you​ ​quickly​ ​find​​that​ ​you're​ ​part​ ​of​ ​a​ ​relatively​ ​small​ ​community.​ ​A​ ​community​ ​of​ ​characters​ ​who​ ​share​ ​this​ ​same​ ​passion​ ​and​ ​have​ ​invested​ ​a​ ​large​ ​part​ ​of​ ​their​ ​time​ ​and​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​see​ ​that​ ​a​ ​colorful​ ​past​ ​is​ ​not​ ​forgotten.​Because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​work​ ​involved​ ​and​ ​the​ ​focus​ ​that​ ​is​ ​demanded​ ​by​ ​the​ ​task,​ ​you​ ​begin​ ​to​ ​recognize​ ​and​ ​be​​inspired​ ​by​ ​the​ ​even​ ​smaller​ ​group​ ​within​ ​this​ ​community​ ​who​ ​work​ ​at​ ​a​ ​particularly​ ​high​ ​level.​ ​The​ ​ones​ ​who​ ​set​ ​the​ ​bar​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​us​ ​and​ ​whose​ ​contributions​ ​will​ ​be​ ​valued​ ​and​ ​relied​ ​upon​ ​for​ ​generations​ ​to​ ​come.​ ​When​ ​thinking​ ​of​ ​this​ ​group,​ ​a​ ​few​ ​names​ ​come​ ​to​ ​mind:​ ​Miles​ ​Collier,​ ​Leslie​ ​Kendall,​ ​Beverly​ ​Rae​ ​Kimes,​ ​Donald​ ​Osborne,​ ​Ken​ ​Gross,​ ​Doug​ ​Nye​ ​, and​ ​Dean​ ​Batchelor…​ ​​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.​ ​But​ ​when​ ​thinking​ ​of​ ​the​ ​contributors​ ​who​ ​have​ ​taken​ ​the​ ​concept​ ​of​ ​preservation​ ​to​ ​the​ ​very​ ​automobiles​ ​that​ ​set​ ​the​ ​records​ ​and​ ​standards​ ​that​ ​are​ ​so​ ​often​ ​written​ ​about,​ ​the​ ​group​ ​becomes​ ​even​ ​smaller.​ ​People​ ​like​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Briggs​ ​Cunningham,​ ​George​ ​Waterman,​ ​Bill​ ​Harrah,​ ​Jay​ ​Leno,​ ​the​ ​great​ ​hot​ ​rod​ ​preservationists​ ​Bruce​ ​Meyer​ ​and​ ​Ross​ ​Myers,​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Lindley​ ​Bothwell​ ​, and​ ​the​ ​recently​ ​departed,​ ​Dr.​ ​Fred​ ​Simeone.​ ​

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Lee Hammock

Born in 1930 and raised in Montecito, California, Hammock was a natural-born car guy. Lee’s father was not only a full-time chauffeur but ran around…

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Alex Xydias

Although​ ​it​ ​is​ ​true​ ​that​ ​we​ ​have​ ​already​ ​featured​ ​this​ ​supporting​ ​member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​AHRF​ once​ ​before,​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​impossible​ ​for​ ​us​ ​not​ ​to​ ​acknowledge​ ​our​ ​friend​ ​and​ ​hot​ ​rod​ ​pioneer,​ ​Alex​ ​Xydias,​ ​on​ ​his​ ​100th​ ​Birthday​ ​…​ ​​ ​and,​ ​after​ ​all,​ ​if​ ​we’re​ ​going​ ​to​ ​nominate​ ​someone​ ​twice​ ​for​ ​this,​ ​why​ ​not​ ​have​ ​Alex​ ​be the​ ​person​ ​to​ ​break​ ​that​ ​barrier!​ ​

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Claude and Sara Kern

Congratulations to Claude and Sara Kern of Bedford, Indiana!

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John Sticha

We are pleased and excited to be featuring AHRF supporting Member John Sticha!

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Bob & Sharon Muravez

We want to feature not one but TWO AHRF supporting members: Bob & Sharon Muravez!

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John Wolf

This month The American Hot Rod Foundation would like to feature the recently departed John Wolf, who passed on September 15th of 2021.

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Joel Driskill

Congratulations to Richmond, Virginia’s Joel Driskill on being our latest, featured member. At age 42, Joel is not only a serious and very hands-on car…

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Jim Jard

In more ways than one, we want to congratulate AHRF supporting member, Jim Jard.

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Alex Xydias

We want to take a moment to acknowledge the great work done by Alex Xydias in preserving hot rod history.

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Augie Esposito

Augie started out in cars the way so many of us did … as a young kid pouring over issues of Hot Rod Magazine

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Ed “Isky” Iskenderian – Happy 100th !

To those lucky enough to know "Isky" this couldn't seem more impossible, as Ed is one of those "forever young" people who defy the laws…

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Jon Fisher

Although many in our community can lay claim to having had an eye for the more traditional style of hot rod or custom car for…

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David Fetherston

We are featuring our late friend, David Fetherston, who supported us in so many ways.

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Kay Kimes

Born in Clearwater, Nebraska on November 20th, 1928, Kay Kimes is yet another WWII-era hot rodder who got an early start and has an important…

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Jennifer Sparks Crow

We are pleased to announce that our latest featured Member is Jennifer “Jenny” Sparks Crow. If some of you keen hot rod historians are thinking…

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Zach Suhr

Zach's story is one that should give each and every one of us great hope in the future of this tradition that we love so…

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Ray Evernham

We are pleased to have Ray Evernham on board as a supporting member of the American Hot Rod Foundation. As anyone familiar with Ray knows,…

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Eli English

We are pleased to be able to feature AHRF Member Eli English and share his story with you.

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John Carlson

Although it might seem like an overstatement, it is reasonable to say that John’s involvement in the old car world is nearly second to none.

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Coco Shinomiya

As an independent art director and graphic designer, Coco's artistic gifts spread across many disciplines ...

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Jon Ruvio

Although each and every AHRF supporting Member is special to us, we think everyone and anyone reading this will appreciate just how extra-special Jon is…

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Carsten Bech

Carsten may hail from Virum, Denmark, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he isn’t as serious a traditional hot rodder as you will…

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Richard French

Some of you keen hot rod historians will know Richard as “The Kid” who joined up with the original So-Cal Speed Shop Team and stowed away…

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Mike Williams

Mike grew up fully involved in the hobby via his father, the Western NY drag racer, Bob Williams.

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