Why are these men driving their DeLoreans through Iran?

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Back to the Future and there are more than a few groups taking the opportunity to turn heads (not the least of which are the Chicago Cubs). But one intrepid group is going a little bit further. Well, 24,000 miles further actually.

Andre Springer, Wolfgang Hank and Klaus Steiner are each driving their own DeLoreans around the world. They stepped off on their journey from Europe in September, and are currently in the United Arab Emirates. The plan is to make it around the world by May of 2016.

Theirs were the very first DeLoreans into Iran, and the age and rarity of the vehicles made that particular leg of their tour a challenging one. Crossing over from Turkey, the team writes that they sat in front of a roll-up door along the border for hours before having the distinct pleasure of negotiating the terms of their entry with national border agents. Then, with a quick stop off for some Iranian car insurance, they were off.

You can follow their trip in real time on this live map and at their website, which includes a map of their planned route as well as a massive photo blog.

Incidentally, they're each driving the automatic version of the DeLorean and each car will be 35 years old by the time the  trip is over. You can enter a raffle for the very same model car in an un-related contest here in support of the U.S.-based DeLorean Convention and Show being held in July 2016.

Raffle ends — when else? — Oct. 21.