A treasure hiding in plain sight

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Nickey Chevrolet sold this car in 1961 and it raced for a few years with other teams before being forgotten. Even Miller and Heckert, after driving the car a bit, decided that it probably wasn't worth much. It spent a decade under a tarp in their shop where it was used as a table. Then Miller, coincidentally, began research to find the Purple People Eater and quickly realized that he already owned it, his son Lance Miller said. He had the car restored to its championship appearance. Today, it's said to be worth about $1 million.

First published December 21, 2015: 12:00 PM ET

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