John Caffrey Vendetta (Seeley MK4) (2008)

Status
Not open for further replies.
I have to know! What is the story on what looks like pillar bolts on the photo that shows the cylinder? Is this a monified 750 type cylinder?
THNX,
Rj
 
rotorwrinch said:
I have to know! What is the story on what looks like pillar bolts on the photo that shows the cylinder? Is this a monified 750 type cylinder?
THNX,
Rj
Click to expand...
If I understand correctly, what you are looking at are shanks of the through bolts from the top deck of the barrel down into the engine cases. This looks like a Steve Maney alloy cylinder.
 
Looking through this thread makes me think we need a thread of "frame porn". I would enjoy learning more about the evolution of these frames.

Russ
 
Hi RJ

The early photos show my friends engine, he is a Paul Dunstall follower. He copies everything from the old tuning books. The engine is not far off being as quick as the Maney engine but we think it will wear out quicker! The pistons are machined as per Pauls ideas & there is not a lot left.
We believe this was one of the problems with the Rickman engine. I will photograph it to show you what I mean. The Maney engine is stronger, so "touch wood" hopefully it will last longer. John drills through the barrels al la 850 & extends the barrel nuts to lock them up. On the last Lydden photo you can see the Maney alloy barrel, made as a through bolt type but Steve doesnt bother with covering the lower studs & the finning is absent.
Russ I would love to see John Caffrey put some of his frame building history on here. He got permission from Colin Seeley to build the MK4 frames. Mine is from the later second batch of 6. The only thing I would change is the swinging arm taper rollers to ball bearing & spacer. These wore over a season as the footpegs are threaded on the end of the spindle & kept coming loose!!! :D I think locking them up didn't do the bearings any favors. On the Mk2 I have moved the footrests back (as you can see its a very compact bike) I intent doing the same with the MK4.

all the best Chris
 
Thanks Chris,
I had talked myself into seeing a modifed cast iron cylinder. I have a couple on Maney's alloys around here. Should have seen the similarity.
Rj
 
Chris said:
Hi RJ

The early photos show my friends engine, he is a Paul Dunstall follower. He copies everything from the old tuning books. The engine is not far off being as quick as the Maney engine but we think it will wear out quicker! The pistons are machined as per Pauls ideas & there is not a lot left.
We believe this was one of the problems with the Rickman engine. I will photograph it to show you what I mean. The Maney engine is stronger, so "touch wood" hopefully it will last longer. John drills through the barrels al la 850 & extends the barrel nuts to lock them up. On the last Lydden photo you can see the Maney alloy barrel, made as a through bolt type but Steve doesnt bother with covering the lower studs & the finning is absent.
Russ I would love to see John Caffrey put some of his frame building history on here. He got permission from Colin Seeley to build the MK4 frames. Mine is from the later second batch of 6. The only thing I would change is the swinging arm taper rollers to ball bearing & spacer. These wore over a season as the footpegs are threaded on the end of the spindle & kept coming loose!!! :D I think locking them up didn't do the bearings any favors. On the Mk2 I have moved the footrests back (as you can see its a very compact bike) I intent doing the same with the MK4.

all the best Chris
Click to expand...

I rode the Maney engined Vendetta in a couple of Parades in 2010, and Chris is not joking when he says 'compact'...I had to put a lot of foam on the seat to allow me to make down changes the first time out a Pembrey. I move a bit more than Chris, but the handling seemed about as neutral as you will get.

The Rickman referred to is what I hop to ride this year...asssuming the problems encountered last year are fixed...whilst my own very slow project of my original '75 Rickman goes on.

I met John Caffrey once in '76, it wasn't a friendly exchange, my Rickman had just consistenly outdragged his 840, 180 crank Weslake at Oulton Park...seems John paid over 3 times as much for his motor as I had for mine, and he was curious what it was, I wasn't telling.....maybe we should meet up sometime and I will tell him exactly what is was, though the observant members of this forum can find the information, and maybe work out why I wasn't saying much :)
 
Henry

John does not have a website as far as I know. But if you go to the top of this thread you will see one by Vendetta frame maker.
This is the man himself :D Click on his name in the post & send him a personal message.
I will try & find his home phone number for you.

all the best Chris
 
Hello. I am thé owner of Spa of thé "single Seeley
M'y bike and tour frame is. really fantastic

NeXT Time Y send you more. information
and photos. Manu thanks
 
Hi Jaques

look forward to seeing your photos. Cant see enough Seeleys.

all the best Chris
John Caffrey Vendetta (Seeley MK4) (2008)


My Mark2 as It started out.
 
there was another vendetta in belgium , raced by a chap called VANDAMME
he lived near dendermonde and used it for short circuit racing and hillclimbs in the 80's against japcr.p
it had an cast 3spoke wheel and radically lightened engine
as far as i can remember he got ill and i lost track of him around 86-87
Jacques ,could this be yours ?
i bought a 5 speed gearbox (quafe) and oldani rear wheel from Vandamme , he really was a lovely bloke , keeping his norton competitive when it was not cool to be seen with one , and also expensive
i got a pic of his bike ,will see if i can some-one persuade to scan it and post it (predigital in those days)
btw back in 85 i got in contact with John Caffrey to order a seeley -tye frame and in his reply he said we could not get one as he could not follow up as these frames were to popular , so we bought a Titchmarsh one , the first to go abroad so Roger told us . ( we also went to Barber and a chap south (annot remember his name but he never had build one before, buitt 4valve vincent heads though )

Chris , you got a beauty

ps i thought one could tell a Caffrey from those 2 small crostubes forming an X ahead of the gearbox , to prevent twisting in torsion, is this correct?

ps2 rumour has it that the mk3 was desgned by Robinson (of 4ls brake fame ) and after Seeley dropped out with Robinson , Seeley wanted no longer to use his design and s came up with the mk4. Is this so or is it another fairy tale?( the one we got from Titchmarsh is a mk3 )
 
Hi Lynxnsu

Mr Robinson came up with some brilliant designs. When you look at the Dunstall drainpipe it is the Mk3 . To me after sitting on my mate Rob James bike
(now in the National motorcycle museum) this is the bees knees! It is so narrow at the knee / tank area it feels amazing. You can buy one from a member on this site! Quality but perhaps would not be eligible under our CRMCC replica rules?
The cross tubes above the gearbox are on my Mk3 as you say I thought it was to do with bracing the frame. However earlier this year I spoke to a racer who made his own frames & found they vibrated horribly & parts broke. He was pointed to the cross tubes & they were moved around until the vibration went? My friend Jim races a lightweight Seeley MK3 G50 Beale frame (Tichmarsh?) The frame cracked above the swinging arm repeatedly I remember it being welded between races at Brands Hatch. John Renwick welded a brace in under the oil tank, he reckoned it was like a tuning fork. It seems the cross tube positioning is of the utmost importance.
The Mk4 tank frame rails are the opposite way round to the MK3 the other change is the clamp on downtubes were changed to a ladder bolted into the headstock area.
Mr Riely was the man on a Commando at the time & he was quick on the Mk4 right through 74 & 75 against al comers in the unlimited & f750 classes.

Must buy Colin Seeleys two books. They would be a brilliant read.

all the best Chris
 
Hi Chris, great bike & super cool to see it's history. I remember earlier in this thread you said you didn't have anymore Goodridge parts for your oil or brake lines & that you were going to order some. Do you use the "Y" piece they sell for the oil line at the right side of the head instead of the stacked banjos? If so could you please tell me the Goodridge part # for it, I want to order one & looked through their on line catolog but I couldn't find it. I've seen them used by a few racers so I know theyake the part I just can't find it in their product list. Thanks, & keep the pictures coming love this thread. Glenn.
 
I know the Seeley Mk 2 frames and I am somewhat familiar with the Mk 3 & Mk 4 frames but cannot distinguish between the two; I am not sure which one has the crossing frame spars and which has the straight back frame spars.

The question I have for those knowledgeable about Seeleys is "what does a Seeley Mk 1 look like?" I vaguely remember seeing a picture of or read about a Mk 1 but then again I may be mistaken.

I have snooped around on line for pictures but clearly see misinformation and mis posts about the different frames.

It would be nice if someone knowledgeable could post and label picture examples of each of the Seeley frames on this thread or start a new thread.
 
Hi

Sorry been away.
I will borrow a scanner & copy some photos over the weekend.
MK2 frame
MK3 frame
Mk4 frame
& butchered Yamsel frame

Never seen a MK1 but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Chris
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top