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The 4½-Litre offered here - chassis number ‘RL3439’ – has one ofthe longest competition histories of any car known to the BentleyDrivers’ Club. Completed in March 1929, ‘RL3439’ was originallyfitted with engine number ‘RL3443’ and bodied as a Weymann-typesaloon by Gurney Nutting. The car was registered ‘KW 5669’ andsold new to one Edgar Heap of Ilkley, West Yorkshire. In 1932 MrHeap sold the Bentley to the second owner, Major A N Braithwaite ofLeeds. Bentley Motors’ service log shows that McKenzie’s Garagesserviced Major Braithwaite’s car for two years prior to ‘Mac’ acquiringit in 1936.A renowned tuner specialising in the preparation of the Cricklewoodcars, Lewis Charles ‘Mac’ McKenzie was a prominent figure inBentley circles during the 1930s. He is best known for preparingthe cars owned by ‘gentleman racer’ Forrest Lycett, at that timeone of the Bentley world’s biggest names. Like all successfulsportsmen, Lycett was always seeking to gain an advantage overhis rivals and constantly exploring ways of making his cars faster, towhich end he turned to ‘Mac’ McKenzie, proprietor of McKenzie’sGarages Ltd of London SW1, whose premises were located to therear of Victoria Station.Known as the ‘High Priest’ of Vintage Bentleys, it was ‘Mac’ whobuilt Lycett’s famous racing 8-Litre, ‘YX 5121’, shortening the chassisand tuning the engine to produce well in excess of 300 horsepower.The result was one of the fastest road cars of its day, which Lycettused to set class records at venues such as Brooklands, Lewes andShelsley Walsh.‘Mac’ followed principals proven on the 8-Litre when he was givenLycett’s new 4½-Litre to play with, shortening the chassis, loweringthe suspension and tuning the engine. Bodied by Corsica as a twoseaterin a style similar to that of the 8-Litre, this new car was named‘The Hooligan’. Delighted with way his new creation had turned out,‘Mac’ decided to build another for himself. Offered here, that carwas started in 1936 and on completion was painted in Riviera Blue,earning itself the nickname ‘Bluebell’ by which it has been knownever since. ‘Mac’ and ‘Bluebell’ had taken two wins at Crystal Palace(in 1939) plus 1st- and 2nd-in-class awards at the Lewes SpeedTrials before the outbreak of war brought such activities to a halt.After his death in August 1956, the Bentley Drivers Club, of which hewas a founder member, named the newly erected scrutineering bayat Silverstone in his honour.Motor Cars | 141