A look back at the Kannapolis auto industry

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From the very early years of Kannapolis, auto dealerships, garages and body shops could be found. In the very beginning J. W. Cannon rode from Concord to Kannapolis in a surrey. His horse was housed in a livery stable located opposite the current Core Laboratory, built for him and future town visitors.

The first automobiles did not show up in Kannapolis until after 1909; when the famous auto race from New York to Atlanta came through. The purpose of the race was to let the people down South know about the autos available at that time. Few textile workers could afford automobiles then.

When Fourth of July parades were held in early Kannapolis, most of the participants were pulled by horses or mules. A few autos or trucks were made before then, but they were very scarce, especially in the South. Not long after the race, the Lowe Bros. & Co. installed a gasolene tank at the store and advertised it on a sign out front. Their spelling was different then.

Eventually Kannapolis would get its first dealership. It was a combined Chevrolet and Ford endeavor, located on the east side of Main Street about 300 feet south of First Street. It was called "Fix All Motor Co." The cars drove in and out of the garage across a plank at the curb. A gas pump was installed at the curb.

As the industry grew, the dealership was split in the early 1920s; and a new Ford dealership was constructed about 150 feet north of First Street on the east side. It was expanded several times making room for maintenance and body repair during its lifetime. The original building was two floors with a basement.

A 1927 telephone directory only listed two auto businesses. Fix All Motor Co. was still on South Main Street and Farrell Motor Co. was in Midway.

The 1933 City Directory listed: Kannapolis Motor Co., a Ford Dealership, Fisher Motor Co., in Midway, Fix All Motor Co. had moved to Midway, Ideal Chevrolet in Midway. It seems that Cannon did not want auto companies on his property at that time.

A 1936 telephone directory listed: Grant Motor Co in Glass, Fisher Motor Co. in Midway, Ideal Motor Co., a Chevrolet dealer in Midway, Kannapolis Motor Co. on North Main, Lowery Motor Co. in Centerview, McCanless Motor Co., a Plymouth and Dodge dealer on North Main and Sears Motor Co. dealer for Ford on North Main. There were numerous used car dealers, garages and body shops listed. The Depression was winding down, Cannon Mills was going almost full time; so the auto industry was going strong in Kannapolis.

Filling stations were popping up all over town. Competition was fierce. The attendants would check the oil, water in the radiator, air in tires, clean the windshield and some would even sweep out the floorboard, while gas was being pumped. Anything to satisfy the customer. Gas wars would become common. There was no tax on gas; so it was cheap. Some years later there seemed to be one on every comer.

After WWII broke out, there were no new cars available for anything but the war effort. In 1946 production for new cars began trickling in for civilian use. It would take some time for production to equal demand. When the men began returning and looking for work, many had experience in automobile and truck mechanics. They began opening their own mechanical garages and body shops

Zeb V. King was one of those who decided to go to work in the body shop business. Having worked during the war building Liberty Ships, he tried his skills at several body shops. He eventually began working in the body shop of Bill Dove Motor Co. and in 1950 took over as manager of the shop. His claim to fame came when Mr. A. L. Brown ran his Cadillac into Town Lake and drowned in 1955. Mr. King was called to remove the car from Town Lake. Pictures of him lying on the hood of the car, hooking a chain to the car, still in the lake, appeared in newspapers. Somehow, he had turned the car around and floated it close to the side of the lake, before hooking the chain to the front of the car.

In 1959, Charles Ridenhour approached him about financing a body shop for him to operate on his own. He agreed and began building the shop. By Feb. 16, 1960, he had finished his first repair job, working for himself in the new body shop on North Main Street. He was very successful and in five years the shop was paid for. He was always grateful to Ridenhour for helping him get started on his own.

During his life he was able to learn to fly and purchased his own plane. He later upgraded it to a later model. He used it to fly to the beach, where he had purchased a beach cottage, and to fly to other places. His shop became well known for quality and dependable work. In January 2000 Mr.King passed away leaving his two sons to carry on the work of King's Body Shop.

David Murdock contracted King's Body Shop to restore the Mack fire truck formerly owned by Cannon Mills. It was on display at the grand opening of the Core Lab, fully restored to its original grandeur.

This month the shop is celebrating its 50th anniversary, now operated by Butch and Barry King, who had a great teacher, Z. V. King. It is one of the longest running body shops in town, at its same location, operated by the same family.