John Caffrey Vendetta (Seeley MK4) (2008)

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Hi, I know of John Caffrey he is contactable on 01437 710595 but doesn't have a website - he may be a good framemaker but isn't great at IT!
 
Hi Mills

Have to say the quality of my MK4 frame is fantastic. The welding is beautiful. Spoke to John a few seasons ago, not sure how old he is now, but he's still racing.
I brought a bank of Amal carbs for either the Foale or the Dave Kirby F2 400/460 four hundred four projects. It turned out the seller & John had built 400/4 racers for f2 & these were brand new never used. He built a spine frame for his own bike.
Hope to have the 750 back out next season.

Chris
 
Chris, Your bike looks vaguely familiar to me. However I don't use separate pipes.
 
Hi Acrotel

Like you I don't use separate pipes. These bikes keep changing. I use Maney pipes now.
Photo below is of me at Donnington this year. Not long before the bike went pop!
I wont touch the engine until I have cleared the mess in the garage.
On the job list is to change from 34mm Mk2 smoothbore to 36mm, just because I have them & the engine is a 960 so I think it will work.
Now I have it handling well I am going to have a selection of rear sprockets made. I have a Honda K4 rear wheel for the cush drive.
The 750 broke the Dick Hunt disc rear wheel (no Cush drive)
The Mk4 is back on its wheels & of course I knackered that engine at Snetterton.

Chris
 
John Caffrey Vendetta (Seeley MK4) (2008)
 
Hi Dave

Yes this is a Dick Hunt Seeley front hub & his Seeley fork leg. Usual story, half of the first bike used to build the second bike.
The MK4 has now got a Norvil disc leg, its a bigger clunkier item all round. With a road pinch bolt leg & Landsdowne dampers. I did manage to find another Dick Hunt disc hub for it though. Lots of bits to sort but hope to have a few Commandos out next season, for friends & family to enjoy.

Chris
 
Chris said:
Hi Dave

Yes this is a Dick Hunt Seeley front hub & his Seeley fork leg. Usual story, half of the first bike used to build the second bike.
The MK4 has now got a Norvil disc leg, its a bigger clunkier item all round. With a road pinch bolt leg & Landsdowne dampers. I did manage to find another Dick Hunt disc hub for it though. Lots of bits to sort but hope to have a few Commandos out next season, for friends & family to enjoy.

Chris
Click to expand...

The reason I asked is that I have a front end like yours. Can I pm you about this?

Dave
 
Hi Dave
pm away mate.
I will send you my phone number

all the best Chris
 
I notice that in your earlier photos the bike has two pipes, and a two into one in the later photos. Did you change the cam timing when you fitted the two into one pipe ? And how much difference did the pipe make to your personal safety on the circuit ?
 
Hi Acrotel

The Mk4 pipes touched the primary drive cover & were very well tucked in. 18" wheels & dropped forks found me dragging the pipes I felt like the bike slid away from me when I was leant over. Didn't help my confidence much.
The high pipes on the MK2 sure sound fantastic & I don't have to worry about dragging them. The 750 was way crisper & much louder at sound testing than the big engine. I intent running the big one in the MK2 next season but want to get the 750 MK4 back together hopefully so that I can do a foreign event. Chimay in Belgium being the one I would love to do.
Cant comment on the cam as the 750 engine was originally built for the 2 into 1 pipe. However this pipe does not fit the MK4. Or featherbeds or Rickmans for that matter & I couldn't face cutting up such an expensive bit of kit & having it re-welded. Especially when I had the original pipes to hand & they just needed silencing.
I am not a front runner but I had to have patches welded on the pipes before the end of the first season.


Chris
 
Even if you are not a front runner, the bike can still give you a hard time. My pipe is tucked away centrally under the motor and is almost impossible to ground, however the problem of accessing the sump plug is a pain. The pipe is about 50mm below the motor and looks ugly hanging down there. It also makes the bike difficult to get onto the trailer. However it works very well. I found that changing from separate pipes to a two into one on my old Triumph 500, actually made the bike sane to ride. I've seen guys with commandos fitted with large megaphones. They would be a bit exciting to ride fast ? - Probably OK for very large circuits with no tight stuff.
Judging from the photos, the header pipes on your system are larger in diameter than mine. I've always used skinny pipes except for the tail pipe on the two into one which is big enough to offer no restriction..
 
Hi all !
New here, and have to make a short view in the correct thread.
I pull this one from his lethargy to talk about John Caffrey. Yes, but why ?...Ok, ok...
I bought last year a Vendetta Seeley. I try to rebuily her own history, and maybe someone here own John Caffrey's email ...?
The only signature is on the steering column: SS 39 JBC

Thank you guys !

Zerton
 
Hi Zerton
Bit surprised to see my thread pop up!
Will try & find out how John is & if he is on line.
Good to hear of another Vendetta.
All the best Chris
 
Bienvenue Jean-Pierre! J'espère pouvoir passer voir ton projet bientôt.
Tu devrais poster une image de ton Zerchot ici, ça devrait intéresser un ou deux habitués;
Amitiés.
Eric G. (Bx)
Sorry for this French incursion mates!
 
ericg said:
Bienvenue Jean-Pierre! J'espère pouvoir passer voir ton projet bientôt.
Tu devrais poster une image de ton Zerchot ici, ça devrait intéresser un ou deux habitués;
Amitiés.
Eric G. (Bx)
Sorry for this French incursion mates!
Click to expand...

Pas de soucis Eric, nous avons DeepL :eek:
 
In order on the screen....:)

Thank's Chris! The only things I heard about Vendetta is that 12 frames were built. Is that true ?

Eric, ravi de te voir par ici. La Vendetta Seeley n'est pas un projet, je n'ai aucun mérite, je l'ai achetée
telle qu'elle est. J'ai fait mes premiers tours de roues avec aux Coyotes l'an dernier. Enfin une vraie machine de piste !
La Zerton? Whynot... Je ne suis pas encore habitué à ce forum...

See you !
JP
 
Hi JP
Two batches of 6 Seeley Mk4 frames were built.
Vendetta was the name John used for "his" business/frames & he built many. I have seen tz Ducati & Honda but I know he did large spine type Kawasakis as well.

All the best Chris
 
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