William Penn Eklund started his body shop in February of 1934. He operated his repair shop in the Richards Building at 801 Atlantic Avenue in Morris. Prior to this, Eklund served in WWI as a mechanic in the Motor Transport Corps and he worked as a mechanic in various automobile repair shops in the Morris area.

​In the early days, auto body repair techniques were simple: hammering out dents or patching holes with metal sheets.  The traditional auto body techniques used hammers, dollies, and other hand tools to reshape the damaged metal. They also used lead filler shaped with wooden paddles to fill imperfections and to seal seams. But as cars became more complex, the demand for high-quality repairs increased. The collision repair industry evolved to meet these new challenges. More specialized and efficient methods for repairing damage were necessary.

​As vehicles became more complex, Eklund’s business grew, and the methods for repairing them had to adapt. Eventually, manufacturers began producing standardized parts that could be easily replaced as needed.   Advances in metalworking techniques, such as spot welding and metal finishing, led to more precise and accurate repairs and soon became standard techniques. Soon, Eklund needed more space for his new repair equipment.  In 1938, Eklund’s Body Shop was relocated to the “Tewksbury Building,” located at 107 West 6th Street in Morris, which remains its present location. Eklund spent nearly three months modernizing the shop to improve workflow & equipped it with all the latest tools.  

​In March of 1940, Eklund ventured into the new automobile sales by securing a Packard car dealership. He handled sales & service of Packards in the area. This was his first venture into new automobile sales & he continued to offer repair & body shop services.

​By the 1950’s, William’s son, Jim, had taken over the business. During this time, auto body repairmen began to take on cosmetic auto body requests, such as paint colour and glazes.  As safety precautions started to be implemented, an auto body technician’s job became a lot more precise and detail-oriented, specifically with collision repair in mind.

​Auto body repair has come a long way since its humble beginnings. From the early days of metal smiths hammering out dents to the modern blend of art and technology, the field has constantly evolved and improved.

​As your local car auto shop, we specialize in color-matching technology with our top-of-the-line paint system. We will carefully match your vehicle’s color as part of our expert auto body repair services. Get the best auto body and collision repair services, right here in Morris - call The Body Shop of Morris for a quote today!