King brothers grew up in body shop business

Butch King's 1935 Chevy that he drives daily to work at King's Auto Body in Kannapolis. Photo By Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

Butch King at King's Auto Body in Kannapolis. Photo By Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

By Mark Wineka

mwineka@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — Butch King acts as though his 1935 Chevy is nothing special.

He refers to it as simply his daily driving car.

His personalized license plate tries to reinforce that low-key approach.

All it says is, “OLD CAR.”

“Old car, young driver, is that what it is?” a friend asked when he noticed the tag Thursday afternoon.

King agreed with a grunt. He was preoccupied in rummaging through his car — which is beautifully restored, by the way — to locate a couple of King’s Auto Body T-shirts for Post photographer Jon Lakey and me.

Butch and his younger brother, Barry, run the body shop which their father, Z.V. King, founded 50 years ago.

The brothers, who included Darrell King until his death from a brain tumor in 2002, grew up in the business at North Main and 21st streets.

“The business has always kept us going, which is fortunate,” Butch said.

The shop strives to produce the highest quality work, and Butch said customers compliment them for having one of nicest shops around.

“I think it’s awful nice of them to say that,” Butch added. “... The Lord has been very good to us.”

King’s Auto Body Co. employs 10. Butch likes to brag on computerized four-wheel alignment and expert frame work the shop provides, as part of its full spectrum of paint and body work.

King’s also has 24-hour wrecker service and a rollback.

Over the years, their father’s original building has seen two additions.

Butch King’s quick tour through the facility reveals just how big it is, as he goes from section to section.

C.J. is the shop dog — “a 10-year-old fat girl,” Butch said.

“We tell people she’s vicious,” he added of C.J., who hardly moved when Jon and I walked into the office. “She’s watching you.”

She seemed to be sleeping.

Barry King drives a 1969 Mustang that is his pride and joy. Butch, who is so humble about his car, spares no praise for his younger brother’s ride.

“His Mustang is nice, seriously nice,” he said.

Butch found the T-shirts he was looking for in his car. He wanted Jon and me to have the shirts before we continued our walk toward the Cabarrus County line.

He judged my size at extra large; Jon, a large.

I held up my blue King’s Auto Body T-shirt to get a better look.

On the back were drawings of two cars: Barry’s 1969 Mustang and, yes, that other old car, the 1935 Chevy.

Finally, I thought, the car is getting its due.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.