The first automotive race probably started as soon as the second car was ever sold, and since the earliest days of the automobile companies of every kind have sought to advertise their wares and services via racing sponsorships. But how do you stand out in a sea of similar looking and sounding race cars? For Nickey Chevrolet and its 1958 Corvette race car, the answer was a bright purple paint job that earned the racing Vettes the nickname “Purple People Eater” after the Sheb Wooley song of the same name.

The fuel-injected 283 ci V8 was rated at 290 hp.

Hemmings Auto Blog reports that the last of these, the 1959 Corvette named the Purple People Eater Mk. III, will head to the Barrett-Jackson auction block in Scottsdale, Arizona next January.

As the story goes, Nickey Chevrolet was looking to get the most out of its advertising dollars, and so they graced this ‘59 fuel-injected Corvette with an unmistakable purple hue, helping it stand out amidst the many silver, white, and blue Corvettes that seemed unbearably popular. Outfitted with all the go-fast-goodies of the era including posi-traction and a heater delete, the car was campaigned until 1961, winning every single race except the last with driver Jim Jeffords at the wheel. After Jeffords retired from racing, the Purple People Eater Mk. III continued to race until 1971, when a young Chip Miller bought it at his first-ever swap meet for just $800.

Today, the Purple People Eater Mk III. is immortalized in posters, magazine pages, and even diecast car models. Since being rediscovered the famous Vette has been restored, and it should easily command six figures when it crosses the auction block next January. It hits all the key points collectors look for in cars; it’s classic, rare, with a unique pedigree and a verifiable history. We expect big things from this Purple Corvette.