It’s hard to believe that in less than a year, the Ford Mustang will 50 years old, making it the longest-running product in Ford’s current American lineup. Twenty years ago the first Mustangs Across America event celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Mustang with an all-new 1994 Mustang GT, which led a caravan of Mustangs from California to North Carolina.

For the 20th anniversary run, and 50th anniversary celebration, Mustangs Across America is restoring a similar Laser Red 1995 Ford MustangGT to serve as the official pace car. The car will be restored to look showroom new, even though it has 81,000 miles on it.

The whereabouts of the original MAA pace Mustang remain a mystery, but this 1995 Mustang GT is 100-percent factory original, a rare find these days. It’s a well-kept car, though the press release notes that the Laser Red paintjob is fading in places, and the clearcoat has cracked as well. Some of the trim pieces have also lost their luster.

MAA is hoping to restore this ‘95 Mustang GT to showroom condition to serve as the official pace car for next year’s event. It will also get duplicate graphics and the very same CB radio used in the original pace car, and every pace car since. We’re left to wonder, will there be room for the all-new 2015 Mustang? Or will we have to wait until a future MAA event to see the all-new Mustang pacing Mustangs Across America?