The story of our 1948 TAM begins long before we discovered it. Its creator, Glennis E. Tam (1902–1974), was described by his nephew, R. Stanley Tam, as “a different type of fellow” who spent countless hours in his woodshop behind his home in Wapakoneta, Ohio. There, Glennis crafted custom insulated house trailers and truck bodies, advertising them in the Lima, Ohio newspapers between 1938 and 1940. For just $265, you could own a “home on wheels” and see America—a promise Stanley Tam himself took advantage of when he married in the 1940s. Their honeymoon was filled with adventure… and plenty of tire changes, thanks to his new bride’s overpacked wardrobe!
In 1963, another couple, Lauren and Grace Hoffman, bought a second-hand TAM from Burr Debar, an oil and gas retailer in Elsie, Michigan, for $300. The TAM’s license was last renewed in 1964 before it was parked on land in Hesperia, Michigan. Eventually, it was enclosed within a crude plywood structure, which unintentionally helped preserve its rare interior.
When Brandon Morrison acquired the trailer decades later, he marveled at the craftsmanship that still shone through. The cabinet doors, built from Redwood Gum plywood, had a striking two-tone effect, and the Douglas Fir walls were just as rare as the TAM itself. By 2016, Brandon realized he didn’t have the space to restore it and passed the TAM on to us. At 20 feet long with a single axle, it was in need of attention—but it had good bones and undeniable history.
We began by stripping away the Celotex siding and insulation, only to find that termites had stuck to the exterior, sparing the core frame. To strengthen the build, we reinforced the perimeter of the wood frame with angle iron and upgraded the axle with modern electric brakes. Inside, we insulated with Prodex, sanded and refinished the Douglas Fir walls using the French Polish method, and restored the original cabinetry. Red reproduction Marmoleum countertops now brighten the kitchen, and period-correct upholstery brings new life to the Click Clack sofa.
While some original elements were beyond saving—the Marvel steel windows, for instance—we carefully replaced them with 1950s aluminum versions, framed with curtains made from reproduction fabric. The Coleman Preway range now cleverly hides a microwave, and the vintage icebox façade conceals a modern refrigerator. Original tiles from the era replace the flooring, and the pocket screen door and lighting fixtures have been preserved, updated with modern wiring and breakers.
To avoid the weathering issues that plagued Glennis’s original siding choices, we opted for aluminum in place of Celotex and canvas. Sixty years later, this bespoke TAM design is once again ready to roll, returning to the highways and byways of America—just as its builder intended.
By Mike & Cheryl O’Connor, Portland, Michigan
