West Ashley families join forces to launch Morris operation offering body repairs

Not yet a year old, the Morris Nissan body shop is a merger of sorts between a longtime West Ashley car "name" and a family with roots in auto service.

The Savannah Highway dealership opened the high-tech garage in October 2008. Managing the operation is Bobby Elsey, who is joined by three other family members.

Morris Nissan, also a family-run business, set up the body shop to complement its parts and service center. "We wanted to go the extra step," said Wesley Morris, service manager at Morris Nissan.

The new operation came about after Elsey's Body Shop, a family outlet for 39 years most recently across Savannah Highway from Morris, agreed to fold its venture and join the Nissan dealership.

"It's worked out real well," said Elsey, who previously headed body shops at two new car dealerships as well as his family-owned business. He said the Morris' promote customer satisfaction and quality control. They adhere to a philosophy that looks out for the employees - sponsoring luncheons, softball games and trips on the Major Motion, the family fishing vessel, he said.

Morris, meanwhile, brought on a solid well-known family business in West Ashley that had handled some of its body shop work in the past.

"Our customers are very loyal to us," Morris said.

The new shop, which is separate from the service building, accepts virtually any kind of body repair. Six employees are supplied with two frame machines, automatic paint mixing equipment and an advanced paint booth. The staff includes a brother, Ted Elsey, who is master refinisher; and nephews Daniel and Richard Elsey, who are painters.

Most of the work is on Morris' customer cars - whether Nissans or others - typically used models sold through the dealership. It also does repairs on claims from Progressive Insurance, working on all types of vehicles. "They bring us Chevys, Fords, Dodges," Morris said.

A few years ago, Morris Nissan enlarged and remodeled its service department, adding air conditioning to improve working conditions. The center has 22 bays, 17 of which have lifts. There are 15 service employees plus Wesley Morris, who was named service manager five years ago. "I've got a great group of guys," he said.

Opening a body shop was a logical progression, and the Elseys were a good fit.

"Due to the opportunity to get with the Morris family, we closed our business to come here," Elsey said.

Irvin "Buddy" Elsey founded a body shop in the late 1950s on the corner of Archdale and Beaufain streets downtown, says son Bobby Elsey, the second of five children. The operation moved to Belgrade Avenue west of the Ashley in 1975 and eventually to Savannah Highway.

The Morris franchise dates back 44 years when pioneer D.P. "Buck" Morris became the first Datsun dealer in the Charleston market. Datsun changed its name to Nissan more than 25 years ago. Today, sons W.B. "Bucky" Morris and David Morris head up the dealership, and their children, including Bucky's son Wesley, are active in the company.

"The cooperation of the two companies came together," Elsey said.

The body shop is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www.morrisnissan.com.

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com