1958 Royal Enfield Constellation, 693 cc. Registration numbe...

Hammer

£3,100

1958 Royal Enfield Constellation, 693 cc. Registration number 738 UXF (non transferrable). Frame number 7057. Engine number SM SA 6839.
Like BSA and Triumph before it, Royal Enfield went on to enlarge its 500cc twin, eclipsing its rivals with the 700cc Meteor, Britain’s largest vertical twin at the time of its introduction for 1953. The crankcase remained fundamentally unchanged but the bore/stroke dimensions and engine top-end were those of the 350 Bullet, doubled up and restyled. Extensive revisions to the engine and the adoption of a new frame (shared by the Bullet singles) ushered in the Super Meteor in the autumn of 1955. While the Super Meteor was a fine performer, Enfield’s next development - the Constellation - was outstanding. Based on its immediate predecessor, the new sportster featured a 51bhp engine, revised frame and a handsome 4.25-gallon fuel tank. On test with Motor Cycling magazine in Belgium, a Constellation recorded a top speed of 115mph while averaging 51mpg, impressive figures by any standard.
738 UXF was dispatched from the Redditch factory on the 3rd of July 1958 to Jaynes of Brynmawr, South Wales. It was the 95th Constellation built out of a believed 1389 and is a matching numbers example.
Its life in Wales is unknown but in 2005 it was MOT'd in Swindon with a mileage of 10,842. In 2012 it was in County Waterford, Ireland where Joe Costello had the engine rebuilt including a crank regrind, new conrod and big end shells. Gordon Beard bought it in November 2011 and had a refurbished speedo fitted in 2014.
Our vendor purchased it in July 2017 and has enjoyed using it, keeping it in it believed original condition. New tyres and tubes were fitted in 2018. He is now emigrating and cannot take it with him.
Sold with the V5C, 2005 MOT, various paperwork, books, two cylinder heads and various other spares.