Poclain HC300 in America (Archive Footage)

by Nick Drew | Mon 18 Jul 2016

Poclain HC300 in America (Archive Footage)

The late 1960’s through to the mid 1980’s was probably French excavator manufacturer Poclain’s heyday, back then the machine’s featuring the company’s high pressure hydraulic systems were to be found in all parts of the globe including America.

The Poclain HC300 was a hydraulic excavator ranging in weight from 47 to 52 tonnes depending on specification, which in all fairness was never going to win any beauty competitions with its rather angular design, but back in the day these machines were considered a stylish large excavator at the cutting edge of hydraulic technology. Power came from a choice of either a Deutz F12L413 or a GM 8V71 engine producing 268hp. The machine could be supplied in either face shovel or backhoe configurations, the latter version seen here in this archive photo. 11025960_395662800625380_612254945716497167_n

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This grainy promotional video from the French manufacturer shows a Poclain HC300 at work on a sewer project in the American city of Los Angeles. In 1968 when this footage was shot this would have been the largest hydraulic excavator in the company’s range, but a year later it was to be eclipsed massively with Poclain’s introduction of the EC1000 which featured 3 engines amassing a total power output of 1000hp! The footage is poor as is the sound quality but still a great watch in my opinion.

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