By: Maria Allard | C&G Newspapers | Published August 27, 2025
METRO DETROIT — When it comes to car cruises, Jerry Naumann knows how to make a grand entrance.
For many years, the car enthusiast drove an upside-down GMC 1984 Rally van that attracted crowds from St. Clair Shores to downriver communities. After owning it for several years, he sold the vehicle to a gentleman in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where the upside-down van currently rests.
But the wheels behind Naumann’s cruising days are still spinning. A couple of years ago, he purchased another offbeat vehicle that looks like a camper riding backward while connected to a 1985 Ford Ranger pickup truck. Naumann drove the memorable trailer in this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise Aug. 16 and made an appearance at the Berkley CruiseFest Classic Car Parade Aug. 15 where he “had a blast.”
Here’s the twist: the trailer isn’t really a camper but is manufactured to look like one.
“It’s just vinyl siding and it has a 2-by-2 framework,” Naumann said.
With a 1998 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer floor plan with drivetrain, a front and back seat, and steering wheel, it appears as if the Ford Ranger is backing up with the trailer behind it. But it’s really the trailer driving forward while pulling the Ranger behind it.
“Pretty much the body was removed off the ’98 Chevy Blazer and the seats were left there. The camper is bolted to it. It just drives itself. The Blazer is what pulls the whole framework of the camper,” Naumann said. “You can see the dashboard and the engine is all intact. The four wheels actually propel this camper.”
Naumann said the engine from the Ford Ranger was removed to make the ride lighter. The camper can drive by itself, but Naumann always has the Ranger with it so spectators can get the full illusion.
“The same guy that did the van for me did this,” Naumann said. “I saw this about three years ago up in Flint at Back to the Bricks. Very nice, high-end cars go there.”
While en route, Naumann often keeps the speedometer at 40 mph. There is no radio, and the air conditioner doesn’t work, but the windows bring in fresh air. Naumann attaches a wire between the two vehicles so the Ranger’s taillights and turn signals work.
“That way people see when they’re coming up behind the truck if I’m turning or breaking,” he said.
The camper stands about 7 1/2 feet in height. Naumann gets a kick out of driving the rig around town. When people see him driving by, they pull out their cameras to take photos and videos.
“It’s that shock and awe, I guess,” Naumann said. “When driving down the road, you love to see people, especially little kids, smiling and pointing at it. I just love seeing the expression on their faces and the fact they enjoy it.”
Naumann lives close enough to the Berkley CruiseFest Classic Car Parade on 12 Mile Road that he can see people as they mark their spots with lawn chairs and canopies to get a good view of the event. He loves to see so many spectators come to town, which he said boosts the economy and puts Berkley on the map. The same goes for the Woodward Dream Cruise, which stretches through several communities in Oakland County.
Naumann has always been interested in cars, something that was in the family’s DNA.
“I restored many cars and painted many cars,” he said. “My dad was into cars and my older brother was into cars.”
Along with the backward camper, Naumann owns two Plymouth Prowlers: a 1999 model and a 2001 model. The ’01 Prowler has 130,000 miles on it.
“That one, I drove all over the country just to events,” said Naumann, who belongs to the online Plymouth Prowler Enthusiasts car club.
This year, the club met up in Hocking Hills, Ohio. Last year, the Prowler peeps got together for camaraderie in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Classic Cars for the Cure Sept. 20
DETROIT/CLAWSON — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute will hold its third annual Classic Cars for the Cure from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at a private garage at 1330 N. Crooks Road in Clawson. Funds raised will support cancer research at Karmanos in Detroit.
The event will include a strolling supper by Forte Belanger, live 1950s and ’60s music by Stella and her band Intrigue, a performance and swing dance lessons from the Oakland University Dance Team, and dessert served in a 1950s diner. Guests, too, can learn more about Karmanos’ research.
Attendees are asked to wear cocktail attire or 1950s and 1960s-style flair. Al Trombetta, Classic Cars for the Cure automobile curator, has gathered 25 rare classic cars from museums and top collectors to showcase. The event is personal for Trombetta, whose mother died of lung cancer.
Debra Partrich, of Bloomfield Hills, is a member of the Karmanos Cancer Institute Board of Directors and also a cancer survivor who underwent treatment at Karmanos.
“If it weren’t for a doctor doing research to find a cure for the cancer I had, I would not be here today. I would not be able to watch my grandsons grow up, spend more time with my family, enjoy trips with my husband, or be around with my friends,” she said in a prepared statement. “That’s the most important thing. Just to be present. This event is a wonderful evening full of classic cars, dancing, music and just a lot of fun. And we are raising dollars for research. Research that will hopefully someday cure cancer.”
Helping to make Classic Cars for the Cure a success is Franklin resident and event sponsor Jeff Kopelman. His wife, Sandy, was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer but lived for 4 1/2 years because of the cancer treatment she received from Dr. Robert Morris and the Karmanos staff. Tickets cost $250 each at karmanos.org/cars25.