Barrett-Jackson consistently sells some of the finest automobiles ever created and at its Scottsdale auction next month, a one-off 1959 Chevrolet Corvette dubbed the Purple People Eater, will cross the auction block.
The car was originally ordered in 1958 for racetrack use and painted silver. However, the original owner thought the silver paint made it look too similar to all the other cars on the track and therefore had it resprayed at the local Chevrolet dealership in the custom metallic purple currently adorning its exterior.
Powering the car is a 283 cubic-inch V8 engine delivering 290 hp and featuring fuel injection. In 1959, it was fielded by Zora Arkus-Duntov in the SCCA-B season where it won every single race of the season except the final race. It therefore comfortably secured the title.
A couple of years later, the car went into obscurity after being repainted and didn’t re-emerge until 1974 when it was purchased for just $800 by a pair of enthusiasts who were unaware of its racing history.
In Scottsdale, estimates suggest that it could sell for over $1 million, now in its fully-restored state.
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