Splashed in splendid light blue and white and glistening with chrome features, the vintage Chevrolet holds a special place in the tidy garage and nostalgic heart of an Auburn couple.

The classic machine, affectionately known as “Sixty-2,” as it appears on its license plates, has been in the Knowles family for so long that is has taken on a life on its own.

Its heartbeat is heard and felt in the rumble of muffled, well-tuned RPMs.

“It’s like having a third person living with you,” said Richard Knowles, the 1962 Impala’s owner, mechanic and caretaker. “It’s part of your life, part of the family. We’ve had fun with it. We’re thrilled with it.”

So much in fact that it would be unthinkable to part with the American automotive classic.

“We would miss it,” admitted Linda Knowles. “We have grown to love and enjoy it.”

The Knowles have shared a long love affair with baby-blue Sixty-2, a family heirloom that continues to require plenty of attention.

“We drive it every chance we get,” said Richard, who drove the two-door Impala around in his Auburn High School days.

When Richard bought the Impala from his father Albert – the car’s second owner – for nearly $400 back in 1973, it was in disrepair, displaying an unattractive, worn gold exterior.

“I told Richard, ‘I’m not riding in it until you paint it,'” Linda recalled.

In the ensuing years, Richard and Linda gradually transformed the once-mocked beater into a near-mint-condition classic by carefully and affordably adding upgrades while keeping in theme with the machine.

“You try to keep out of costly shops,” said Richard, 53, a freight truck driver, self-made mechanic and repairman. “I do everything on it that I can. … You have to take the time, and you have to want to do it. That’s the beauty of the business.”

The light blue touch was applied, the diamond-tucked white upholstery inserted, and soon a complete makeover was in motion.

The results have paid off. Sixty-2 has won its share of accolades at regional custom car shows each year. And to the surprise of the Knowles, Sixty-2 upstaged more expensive competition to capture the Mayor’s Choice Award at the recent Auburn Good Ol’ Days Show & Shine Show.

The chrome certainly helps accentuate the car, but it doesn’t tell the entire story, Richard said.

“Chrome doesn’t make it go any faster, but it can make it look better than stock,” he said.

With the exception of the major paint job, the couple completely overhauled the Impala.

Both rear quarter-panels and parts of the front fenders were replaced. The trim was either replaced or re-chromed. An original custom grill was found.

Today, the Impala stands tall on 4,800-pound coils and 14-inch radials. Under the hood sits a 327-cubic-inch Corvette engine, replete with a Carter four-barrel carburetor and showered in Edelbrock chrome features, notably the valve covers and attached aluminum radiator.

The Impala also supports high-energy ignition, an electric fuel pump and fan and breathes through aluminized dual exhaust. On the floor is a Richmond Super T-10 four-speed transmission. The Chevy produces between 335 and 350 horsepower.

The odometer reads 62,000 miles, but it actually has rolled over once, Richard said.

Sixty-2 continues to be a work in progress. In addition to regular maintenance, the Knowles tinker and consider upgrades.

“(The car) can be a bear or a blessing,” Richard said. “It can be a bear when you modify it … plenty of ‘gosh, dammits.” … The blessing is when you get in and drive it. It’s extremely great.”

The Impala continues to gather plenty of admirers, both young and old.

“Unless you go to car shows, you rarely see them on the street,” Richard said.

The Knowles will continue to flaunt Sixty-2 at car shows, share garage secrets and enjoy the camaraderie of enthusiasts.

“We don’t go to win,” said Linda, who works in assembly for Leonard’s Aerospace. “If you go and win, that’s a plus.”

The Knowles enjoy working on other classic cars belonging to family and friends. They enjoy sharing the passionate hobby with others.

And when it comes to passing Sixty-2 along, they might turn to their only son, Clint.

“It’s in the will,” Richard said. “It will stay in the family.”