Your BATOC Historians are Susan Goldenberg and Marianne Grech. With technical support provided by Mark and Matthew Goldenberg. If you wish to contribute to this site please contact either of the BATOC Historians listed here or email. batochistorian@gmail.com
History
BATOC was America’s first Thunderbird club, founded in 1958 in Oakland, Ca. by Skip Riggs, the clubs first President. Skip remains an important and valuable member to this day.
Bob Winkerink’s car circa 1966
Our first meetings were held at a Ford Dealership. In the subsequent early years, our monthly meeting place changed from restaurant to restaurant until we finally settled for several years at Art’s Restaurant on Broadway in downtown Oakland.
In the mid-80’s we moved to the Days Inn in Emeryville and in 1997 moved to our current location at the Buttercup Grill in Walnut Creek, Ca.
First group Photo 1950s
Our 50th Anniversary – The 1st 50 years of BATOC (NEW)
What’s New in Bird-Land? (Newsletters)
This is the complete archive of every newsletter that we have been able to locate to date. Please check your archives and help us locate our missing WNIBL issues.
Photo Albums
This is a complete collection of every photograph that has been contributed to the clubs historical archives. If you have additional BATOC related pictures that you would like to contribute please contact one of the Historians. We can accept digital or prints. (All original prints will be returned.)
Past Events
This is a collection of past events that occurred more than a year ago. Includes event photos, flyers and maps.
The Story of Our Thunderbirds
by Ron and Susan Wacek
Hello. My name is Ron Wacek. I live in Pleasanton with my wife Susan, and this is the story of my ’55 Thunderbird. Let’s go back to 1955 or thereabouts. This is how I remember it at 7 years old. I was living with my Aunt and Uncle. They had a café/gas station on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) about 5-7 miles south of Oxnard and 1/2 mile north of Mugu Rock. The location is now home to the Chumash trailhead of Mugu State Park. A portion of the Pt. Mugu base is directly across the PCH. One day a cool car drove in and a Navy guy got out and went in for a bite to eat. I went over to check the car out. It had no back seat and it had a big black phone in it! It must have been for military communications. I just said wow to myself and thought that one day maybe I could have a car like that with a phone in it. read more
Blackboard, surfboard, thunderbird
A word from down under from Geoff McFadden
Geoff McFadden, Treasurer of the Victorian Chapter of the Thunderbird Owners’ Club of Australia, has allowed us to share this story. Geoff’s car appears in our 2021 Calendar.
Blackboard, surfboard, thunderbird
I saw my first Thunderbird in California in 1987. I was touring the US giving biology lectures at Universities and doing a little surfing on the coast. In Santa Barbara I spotted a Thunderbird Blue 1955 sporting an after market continental kit. She was parked in a Safeway car park. I recall reading the stylish script on the rear fender to identify what sort of car it was. read more
Bud Riley’s 1957 White Bird
The first T-bird I had was a 1956 White bird with automatic transmission, in 1958. I sold that one, but ended up with a Red 1955 bird in 1962. The Red bird was a 3-speed stick with overdrive. I put a 390 high performance engine with 401 horsepower in it so I could win my street drag races. A year or two later I put a highly modified 427 in it read more
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From Poop to Perfect – or lots of BS, no BS
From Tony & Kathy Lloyd
Regarding our T-bird history.
I have owned this car for 55 years. It was a worn out 100,000+, hit multiple times, beater when I got it.
Since then, it got hit two more times and I personally drove it another 400,000 miles. This was my daily driver the whole time The only original moving part is the glove box hinge.
In 1962 I purchased a red 1955 Thunderbird that was in poor condition at best. I only paid $1300 so knowing the car had slightly over 100K miles on it, I knew I had some work to do. It had so little compression that it wouyld only start when dead cold. There was no starting it when it was warmed up. I pulled the engine and transmission and ripped it apart on my dad’s clean garage floor. He was less than pleased. (you really want to) read more
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Rick Slaton – From Rust to Riches
BABY, OH BABY BIRD
Our Baby Bird story began in Dallas, Texas at 12:33 PM on October 8, 2011. That’s when the gavel struck and the auctioneer shouted sold! SOLD!! SOLD!!! Little did we know that what was one of the 
most exuberant, and in hindsight impetuous, moments in our 42 year marriage (now 51 + years) would soon turn into the quintessential restoration nightmare lasting 9 years. read more