Tee Nee Flatbed tilt trailers of the 70's

[John Odell]

I have a Tee Nee trailer, 1972 registration, that is not NOT NO T...a boat trailer. It is a flatbed, 3 x 9 foot, steel deck, trailer. Leave springs NOT coil springs..but I cannot find any information at all except one post on another site, that said "Tee Nee made boat trailers (mostly) ...back then. I have the date plate, I have the title. 1972.. Tee Nee Trailer, now registered in my name. Does anyone, know of these trailers...I have search till I'm blue in the face...trying to find them..just for maybe parts, or whatever. Can anyone, who is "old school" here.....help me? It is a tilt trailer. Leaf springs on both sides. a steel flatbed. Standard 8" tires..thank you. I would appreciate the help..

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard. I also have an old trailer, mine is from 1966 and the manufacturer is long gone. I've found trailer parts are trailer parts except for the frame. Springs, bearings and things like couplers were bought off the shelf by Tee Nee and are available at trailer shops and online.

Are you looking for any particular thing?

 

[John Odell]

Welcome aboard. I also have an old trailer, mine is from 1966 and the manufacturer is long gone. I've found trailer parts are trailer parts except for the frame. Springs, bearings and things like couplers were bought off the shelf by Tee Nee and are available at trailer shops and online.

Are you looking for any particular thing?

No sir, and thank you for taking the time to reply. I have searched for the particulars of this trailer, registered, with serial numbers, in 1972..as a "Tee Nee" trailer. It has standard, eliptical (sorry..if I am wrong here)..springs..not coil springs. It has a tongue that is not straight, but has a curve near the front for hitching. There is NO boat trailer, winching apparatus..It has a steel deck, hooded tail lights with steel enclosure..on them, It has a "bolt" at the front that can be easily removed to "tip" the trailer. I truly sir, don't know how it could be registered as a "Tee Nee" trailer, with serial number, etc., and a valid registration, etc....if it was a Home-made deal. It does NOT have tear drop fenders, but just semi-curved fenders, over the standard 8" wheels. There is a place, on the tongue...on TOP of it, with a twist down, lock..for a spare tire. It is NOT on the side as many were, I just don't understand it all...truly. My only hope thus far was a post by a boat trialer enthusiast who stated on one site I checked out, that "Tee Nee" made (for the most part) boat trailers. Maybe mine is a maverick..or one that has fallen into boat trailer history, but I love it. It's strong as an ox..deck is great American Steel..and the man who owned it said, "We used to haul a ton of fire wood or whatever on her..it's a very good trailer" and sir, that's all I know. I've restored many vehicles, 5 Farmall Cubs, ground up.. Two Model A Fords, a 1946 Ford Business man's coupe...and my 55 Crown Victoria...oh, and my 36 Chevy Coupe went to Hershey and won a restoration award. But for the life of me, I cannot find anything about this trailer. Thank you for responding. maybe someone can recall, or help me to learn more. You have been kind to respond.

 

[John Odell]

No sir, and thank you for taking the time to reply. I have searched for the particulars of this trailer, registered, with serial numbers, in 1972..as a "Tee Nee" trailer. It has standard, eliptical (sorry..if I am wrong here)..springs..not coil springs. It has a tongue that is not straight, but has a curve near the front for hitching. There is NO boat trailer, winching apparatus..It has a steel deck, hooded tail lights with steel enclosure..on them, It has a "bolt" at the front that can be easily removed to "tip" the trailer. I truly sir, don't know how it could be registered as a "Tee Nee" trailer, with serial number, etc., and a valid registration, etc....if it was a Home-made deal. It does NOT have tear drop fenders, but just semi-curved fenders, over the standard 8" wheels. There is a place, on the tongue...on TOP of it, with a twist down, lock..for a spare tire. It is NOT on the side as many were, I just don't understand it all...truly. My only hope thus far was a post by a boat trialer enthusiast who stated on one site I checked out, that "Tee Nee" made (for the most part) boat trailers. Maybe mine is a maverick..or one that has fallen into boat trailer history, but I love it. It's strong as an ox..deck is great American Steel..and the man who owned it said, "We used to haul a ton of fire wood or whatever on her..it's a very good trailer" and sir, that's all I know. I've restored many vehicles, 5 Farmall Cubs, ground up.. Two Model A Fords, a 1946 Ford Business man's coupe...and my 55 Crown Victoria...oh, and my 36 Chevy Coupe went to Hershey and won a restoration award. But for the life of me, I cannot find anything about this trailer. Thank you for responding. maybe someone can recall, or help me to learn more. You have been kind to respond.

 

[John Odell]

To answer your question, no...I'm not looking for any particular parts at this time. Thank you for asking. It's in great shape, and needs nothing (as of now..of course) thanks again. John in Pa.

 

[JimS123]

I have been a TeeNee fan since the 1960's. I also have a huge collection of boat related literature going back to the 1950's. I distinctly remember that TeeNee did indeed sell utility trailers. They had a fold-out insert in the boat trailer catalog describing the utilities. I kept that catalog because at one time we considered buying a 4-wheeler for our cabin.

Of course, timing is everything. Just last Winter I went thru all my literature and the items I was no longer interested in were put in the recycle bin. Sorry.

In the 1970's they no longer used teardrop fenders, so its quite probable that your trailer is indeed a TeeNee. Fiberglassics.com has a trailer section but the TeeNee literature is all from the 1950's.

 

[John Odell]

I have been a TeeNee fan since the 1960's. I also have a huge collection of boat related literature going back to the 1950's. I distinctly remember that TeeNee did indeed sell utility trailers. They had a fold-out insert in the boat trailer catalog describing the utilities. I kept that catalog because at one time we considered buying a 4-wheeler for our cabin.

Of course, timing is everything. Just last Winter I went thru all my literature and the items I was no longer interested in were put in the recycle bin. Sorry.

In the 1970's they no longer used teardrop fenders, so its quite probable that your trailer is indeed a TeeNee. Fiberglassics.com has a trailer section but the TeeNee literature is all from the 1950's.

Thank you so very much. I can't image a "home made" trailer that would have a Tee Nee registration. That doesn't fly here in Pa. It's got a Tee Nee number, and I love this flatbed becuase I am disabled vet, 100%..and I can lift thing off the side, or dump it..and not have to lift things OUT of a sided trailer you usually use on a garden tractor. I was able to find a good, level hitch for my J D tractor (I'm an IH guy..ha..) but anyway, I can utilize this trailer and it is great that I found it. It's solid as a rock. Thank you so very mr input sir. I appreciate it. I've researched it for hours and hours, until I came here and had the two posts by you and the other kind fellow..thanks guys..thanks.

 

[GA_Boater]

A picture may help. It's possible a prior owner modded the trailer.

I don't know if a Tee Nee's used coil springs exclusively and as JimS mentioned, Fiberglassics only has info from the early days. Later or some models may have used leaf springs.

 

[John Odell]

I've done a lot of restoration in my day. I appreciate your answer. But this trailer has not been cobbled up, or fabricated by someone..I would know it. I will try to learn how to post a photo..I'm old school..but I'll try later. THank you for your input. Very much

 

[GA_Boater]

A good fabricator can make a job look factory.

 

[John Odell]

with over 50 some years of restoration, and all that goes with it, I agree with you..except that one thing stands out clearly. In Pa., even in '72 a fabricated trailer must have five photos of it, submitted and approved...and this trailer has a deck...that is quality, heavy steel...with raised ribs, every 10 inches, across the deck... one, solid piece..not welds..it was obviously "stamped out" and around here, we don't have that kind of high-tech..fabrication. and I have known may welders, fabricators, etc., and I don't know of anyone who would attempt that..it would take a pretty impressive "shop" to make a deck like that, for what? A 300 dollar trailer? back then? Who knows. I only know it is a great trailer for my needs. And in '72 it was registered as a Tee Nee..not a fabrication, which means it had to have the serial #, etc., presented and so on. I just doubt it was fabricated, quite seriously...that's my only reason for researching it. I do thank you for your comment...and who knows? You must might be right! But overall? If that's the case it was one "heck" of a job, for a trailer back then with minimal value...when others were readily available. Who knows...Thanks for the post. I appreciate your input.

 

[John Odell]

Just FYI..for you boating folks. Back in the 50's when I was a kid, my uncle bought a Pen Yan boat...it went through the water like it was cutting warm butter. What a boat. And guess what? A neighbor bought a Pen Yan boat a couple years ago, for what?...they cut it in half, and made a "nautical yard planting around it!..One man's flower...another man's weed as they say. I about flipped over that. The boat was in great shape..until the idiot's chain saw....

 

[JimS123]

A picture may help. It's possible a prior owner modded the trailer.

I don't know if a Tee Nee's used coil springs exclusively and as JimS mentioned, Fiberglassics only has info from the early days. Later or some models may have used leaf springs.

Holsclaw used coil springs exclusively. The TeeNees that I personally owned all had leaf springs. Those were from the 70's and 80's.

 

[JimS123]

Just FYI..for you boating folks. Back in the 50's when I was a kid, my uncle bought a Pen Yan boat...it went through the water like it was cutting warm butter. What a boat. And guess what? A neighbor bought a Pen Yan boat a couple years ago, for what?...they cut it in half, and made a "nautical yard planting around it!..One man's flower...another man's weed as they say. I about flipped over that. The boat was in great shape..until the idiot's chain saw....

The back 3 feet of certain mahogany classic boats are often cut off and made into a bar for someone's rec room. Naturally, the boats are not particularly collectible by themselves. The bottom line is that after selling the bar and scrapping or parting out the engine, windshield, et. al, the seller made more money than if he sold the boat whole.

To us antique collectors its heresy but then again for us its a labor of love, not a profit making opportunity.

 

[GA_Boater]

John has a 1972, so it may be factory with leafs. It's possible that Tee Nee may have had a different name for non-boat trailers. Or I'm making stuff up - Unintentionally of course.

 

[GA_Boater]

I've seen Cris Craft bars and always hoped they were replicas, but you never know what people will do. Same with cutting up classic cars to make sofas. Cringe-worthy!