EYE-popping hot rods, such as this 1923 Buick roadster, are set to inject more than $4 million into Yarrawonga over the next three days.
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The Lake Mulwala Rod Run has in three years established itself as the biggest event on the tourism calendar at Yarrawonga.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism executive officer Noel Wright said a study done in conjunction with Moira Shire showed the rod run contributed $4.4 million and the equivalent of 14 jobs to the tourism centre.
"The community has embraced it, you get 5000 to 6000 people to watch them on the main street on Saturday night – it's a feelgood experience," Mr Wright said.
The rod run organisers, Melbourne's Northern Suburbs Street Rods, moved the event from Bright in 2013.
Mr Wright said up to 700 cars were expected with up to five people per vehicle.
The roadster's owners Steve and Carolyn Lukehurst have welcomed the move to Yarrawonga.
"Bright was getting a little bit hoonish," Mr Lukehurst said.
"Bright is a great town, but we were paying $400 for four nights and that was just for camping.
"The prices just kept going up and it was a like a rip-off.
"We're paying $174 for four nights in Yarrawonga."
The Sydney couple take three weeks holidays each year to attend hot rod shows at Renmark, Mildura and Yarrawonga with their Buick which was found in a paddock near Newcastle.
"It was all in bits and I salvaged what I could and took it home," Mr Lukehurst said.
The suburban train driver rebuilt the car over two years, registering it in 1996.
Powered by LPG, the six-gear, six-cylinder Buick can reach 250km/h.
Despite no bonnet, the car has not attracted vandals.
"Nobody hates a hot rod," Mr Lukehurst said.
"If you've got a Ford or a Holden, you get people that come along and say 'I hate Ford' or 'I hate Holden' and they might do some damage.
"I've never had an aerial broken."
When not working on hot rods, Mr Lukehurst does up teardrop caravans, with one being towed to Yarrawonga.
The hot rod cruise on Yarrawonga's Belmore Street will run from 5pm Saturday.
A show and shine will be staged at JC Lowe Oval from 9am Sunday.
