Ford knew it was onto something big with the Mustang, making a huge show of the 1964 reveal in New York City. As we’ve already covered in the weeks and months leading up to the official anniversary celebration, Ford went over-the-top with its marketing efforts, even putting a Mustang on top of the Empire State Building the following year.

After the big New York reveal, Ford invited a bunch of journalists to take a ride in the new Mustang, from New York to Detroit, to get a feel for the car. Two of Ford’s lead designers are making that same journey in a pair of classic Mustangs, but in reverse, driving from Detroit to New York City.

Moray Callum, Ford’s vice president of design, Chris Svensson, design director of the Americas, and Motor Trend’s Scott Burgess set off on Monday in a pair of classic Mustangs. Their road trip will take them from the Dearborn Inn, through Niagara, New York, on their way to the New York Auto Show. It’s quite a different experience, making such a long drive in such an old car, including the stank of gas that seems to follow you for five minutes after you’ve left the car.

But that’s a small price to pay for an epic road trip, or the authentic feel of driving one of the original Mustangs that captured America’s attention. These cars are every bit as beautiful today, and even though there were millions of them made, it’s still a special car. If you want to follow the journey, go on Twitter and look for #FordMustang50, or follow @AutoCritic for all the updates.