Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Thomas Baken, I’m 29 years old. I drive a 1991 BMW E30 318i. I grew up in Chappaqua NY, a small town about an hour north of the city. After college I moved to Brooklyn and have been here since. I’m a professional audio, video and lighting control systems engineer for high end homes and apartments.

Photos - Ohad Kab

How did you get into cars?

I’m not sure if I can point it to any exact particular moment, but I do have a fond memory of visiting my uncle in LA who is an enthusiast. He had recently bought an E36 M3 and took my brother and I on a spirited drive. I remember getting slammed against the back seat when we hit the tunnels, he explained there were no cops to catch you there… so he floored it at every chance. I actually just went back to LA for the first time since then, and he still has that same M3, but this time I was the one driving!

What's the most important thing to you when it comes to cars?

Hmm.. it’s hard to say. I definitely have an obsession with all things 80’s when it comes to design. There’s a famous industrial designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro - I probably butchered that, sorry. He didn’t design the E30, but in an interview he says “curved lines are actually bullshit”. Then the interviewer asks “would you care to elaborate?”. “No.” Haha I just love that.. To get back to the question, the driving feel is probably most important to me. The best cars connect you to the road. You should feel every crack and pebble, for better or worse. Most modern cars have an awful floaty disengaged experience in comparison.

Photos - Ohad Kab

What made you decide to buy a BMW E30? What do you like most about your car?

I’ve always loved the look of the E30. I wanted to get one in high school but it never really panned out. Once I had some extra cash saved up I started looking seriously. There’s tons of them out there, but most are in various states of disrepair. It’s hard to find a good one. This one I found on a widespread craigslist search, up in Burlington Vermont.

Can you tell me about any modifications or upgrades you've made to your E30?

One of the reasons I bought this car was that it’s engine swapped with an S50 out of a ‘95 M3. Which in my opinion, is the goldilocks engine for one of these cars. Not a crazy amount of power, but just enough. It really brings the car to life. The swap was a bit messy and needed attention, so I overhauled the cooling system and had to rewire a few bits. At that point, the car was pretty sleeper-spec, which was cool but I wanted to make it more of a looker. I replaced the suspension and got new wheels, iS side skirts, front lip and an M3 spoiler. Had a custom exhaust built too. Finally, I replaced the entire interior out of a matching year car, with an exclusive color to that year - crimson red.

Are there any particular challenges or unique aspects of owning and maintaining an E30?

Like most old cars, you have to be wary of rust. These are definitely well built and easy to work on cars, but spending any time in the northeast winter is deadly. Luckily this car was in California for most of its life, then Virginia and just about a year in Vermont where it was garaged. There’s no shortage of quirks in these cars either. Most E30 drivers have to start their journey with a hard slap to the dashboard to get the instruments working.

Photos - Ohad Kab

What are your plans for your car in the future?

Honestly, aside from some paint work this car is exactly where I want it. Stay tuned for my other E30 project though!

What does driving a classic car mean to you?

Despite all the pains and headaches that come with an old car like this, all the smiles and waves you get when driving around make it all worth it.

What do you think of the car culture in Brooklyn?

Well.. there’s really two types of car owners here. One is the obnoxious exhaust and subwoofer crowd and the other is really passionate, down to earth and friendly. I met some other BMW enthusiasts at a Wheels Of NYC meet and we commiserate about the expense and pains of parking here combined with a lack of space to be able to work on your car. One thing led to another and we found a suitable space in Brooklyn that we rented together that doubles as a DIY shop and car storage. The space has allowed me to take on much bigger projects than I thought I'd ever be capable of.

What are some of your favorite things to do in Brooklyn with your car?

Honestly, I rarely drive for any sort of leisure in Brooklyn. Traffic is miserable and my biggest fear is being rear ended. I do enjoy some spirited driving up near my hometown with a stop for ice cream at King Kone!

What do you hope to achieve with your car?

3 years ago I barely knew how to put on a spare tire. Now I’m confident I could take on just about anything when it comes to cars. I’ve completely rebuilt my other E30 from the ground up. So I hope to inspire others to do the same. Between YouTube, forum posts and Facebook groups you can learn everything on your own.