The Great Kiwi Rolling Rod Show fires up at noon on Sunday

Te Awamutu Rod and Custom Club members on a local rally in 2018. Photo / Dean Taylor

This Sunday hot rodders around New Zealand will be blowing out the cobwebs after weeks of lockdown to bring The Great Kiwi Rolling Rod Show to their communities.

The national event is the idea of Te Awamutu Rod and Custom Club committee member Dean Taylor.

He says it is a way for rodders to engage in their hobby and bring a hot rod 'show 'n' shine' to their communities — all within the rules of Level 2.

And he hopes it will also generate good publicity for the hobby and bring smiles to the faces of the public.

During Level 4 and 3 rodders from around the country have missed out on a feast of end of summer events, including the massively popular Whangamata Beach Hop, Frankton Thunder, plus burnout competitions, drag racing events, annual shows, swap meets and rallies — right down to breakfast and coffee meets and evening cruises.

The plan is for each participating New Zealand Hot Rod Association club to cruise their community from noon this Sunday — meaning for the public they can see and hear the cars without having to travel far or congregate in a crowd.

The event has the support of the national body — the New Zealand Hot Rod Association.

They are encouraging all members to polish up their car, fill up with petrol and get out there and put some smiles on people's faces, promote the hot rodding fraternity and enjoy driving your cars again.

The Te Awamutu Great Kiwi Rolling Rod Show is expected to run for about two hours, and as well cruising around Te Awamutu, will also include Kihikihi and Pirongia.

The route is published below and anyone wanting to see the cars shouldn't have to walk more that two or three streets to participate. There is little or no backtracking so each new road name is where the cruise will be turning.

Te Awamutu Rod and Custom Club president Murray Peterson says it is great the club can be involved in an event that is a bit different, as well as supporting the community and the organisation.

"Hopefully after weeks of lock-down and restrictions it will be like a flower blooming to see our cars out and about on Sunday," he says.

Members of the public are reminded to stick to the rules of Level 2 by maintaining their social distances from other groups.

Te Awamutu Great Kiwi Rolling Rod Show route starting at noon:
Ohaupo Rd, north up Taylor's Hill, Greenhill Dr, Taylor Ave, Racecourse Rd, Mangapiko St, Mutu St, Mahoe St, Tawhiaoa St, Alexandra St, Pakura St, Rewi St, Station Rd, Laurie St, Goodfellow St, Alexandra St, College St, Rewi St, Alexandra St, Bank St, Fraser St, Elizabeth Ave, Lorne St, Bridgman Rd, Bank St, Fairview Rd, Teasdale St, Vaile St, Sloane St, Carlton St, Raikes Ave, Swarbrick Drive, Oakridge Drive, Highfield Country Estate Retirement Village, Swarbrick Drive, Raikes Ave, Hazlemere Cres loop, Mandeno St, Kihikihi Rd to Kihikihi, Lyon St, Balance St, Walmsley St, Acadia Ave, McAndrew St, Lyon St, Sheehan St, Carey St, Whitmore St, Oliver St, Grey St, Hall St, Herbert St, Whitaker St, Sheehan St, Rolleston St, Flat Rd, Golf Rd, Park Rd, Albert Park Drive, Cambridge Rd, Picquet Hill Rd, Te Rahu Rd, Pekerau Cres, Cambridge Rd, Arawata St, Alexandra St, Pirongia Rd, Franklin St, Crozier St, McClure St, Pirongia Rd.