Hot rods and steampunk make for a heady mix and it's all coming to Tauranga this weekend for the Bay Rodders annual Winterblast.

The event gets underway in Mount Maunganui tonight with a meet and greet in the clubrooms followed by a mystery run at 10am tomorrow to an undisclosed Western Bay of Plenty destination.

Between 40 and 50 cars are expected to hit the road, with participants tasked with answering questions about various landmarks along the way to be in to win prizes.

The social side of the event winds up on Saturday night with a steampunk theme dinner and prizegiving at the Hotel Armitage.

Glenna Bueno will be attending Winterblast this year in her 1933 metallic green Ford Coupe.

She has owned hot rods for a number of years, and attended many Winterblast events, but this is her first year as a fully-fledged member of Bay Rodders and she has gone all out on the steampunk theme.

Her gorgeous Victorian-era gown was imported from the USA and she has added her own touches to it, including fabric roses and lace. She has made her own matching hat, upcycled a pair of old boots and added jewellery in keeping with the steampunk theme, including a stopwatch and teapot ring.

'There's going to be such a variety of steampunk, from mechanical to Victorian. The club always goes way out with dressing up. I love it.” says Glenna.

So what's the appeal of driving a hot rod?

'The power, the speed, the noise. It's an adrenalin thing. When you get in there and the windows are down, the air's coming through and you're motoring along in a group of Bay Rodders it's an exciting time,” says Glenna

'We go away together on trips and it's the kind of club where we all look after each other.”

The public can get in on the action on Sunday with a car show and swap meet in the Spring Street carpark building in Durham Street from 9am-2pm.

On display will be hot rods, muscle cars, street machines, classic cars, vintage cars, motorcycles and race cars.

Entry is $5 for adults, $12 for a family and under 12s attend free. There will be a prize draw for entrants at 1.30pm and swappers pay $5 per carpark.

Bay Rodders vice-president Keith Sawyer says the show, which has been running for about 20 years, is a great day out for the family and anyone with a love of hot rods, street machines and classic cars.

The club also holds the Nostalgia Drags at Meremere Dragway every Easter. Anyone interested in joining the club should visit: www.bayrodders.co.nz