During the 1920s, the bosses of several firms cast their lines into the waters of the 1000cc ohv V-twin pond, but most quickly found that the lake was if not devoid of stock, then running low.
There really wasn’t the numbers to sustain a host of ‘high end’ manufacturers; many quickly disappeared. Coventry-Eagle actually lasted longer than most.
In April 1996, 1929 Coventry-Eagle Flying 8 E160, registration number WK 9146, was the top-selling lot at Brooks’ (now Bonhams) Stafford sale, achieving just shy of £29,000, which was twice its pre-sale estimate.
Read more in May’s issue of TCM