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The Rise of Bantam and the C-350 Legacy
Founded in 1942 by Vern and Wilbur Schield in Waverly, Iowa, the Schield Bantam Company quickly became a dominant force in the crane and excavator market. By 1955, Bantam had sold over 1,000 truck-mounted cranes, claiming the title of the world’s largest producer of such machines. The company’s reputation for rugged, mobile, and versatile equipment led to widespread adoption in construction, mining, and municipal work.
The Bantam C-350 was part of a mid-range series of crawler-mounted cranes designed for digging, lifting, and material handling. It was often used in gravel pits, sawmills, and infrastructure projects like highway construction. With a Detroit Diesel 3-53 engine and a robust mechanical drivetrain, the C-350 offered a balance of power and simplicity that made it popular among operators who valued field serviceability.
Core Specifications and Mechanical Features
The C-350 was built for durability and adaptability. Key features included:
Operators appreciated the C-350’s ability to switch between configurations. A shovel front could be swapped for a hoe boom or dragline bucket, allowing the same machine to perform trenching, loading, and dredging tasks.
Field Use and Operator Stories
The C-350 was often deployed in remote or rugged environments. One unit worked for decades in a gravel pit in southwest Michigan, contributing to the construction of Interstate 94. Another was stationed at a sawmill near Fort McMurray, Alberta, where it loaded logs and debris with minimal downtime.
Operators recall the machine’s reliability and quirks. A six-inch roller bearing on the track drive was known to wear out after heavy use, but could be replaced in the field with basic tools. The center pin bearing—critical for swing rotation—was another wear point, often rebuilt with locally machined parts.
In 1976, a town dump in rural Ontario housed a pristine C-350 with both shovel and hoe fronts. Locals remember watching it dig trenches and load refuse with quiet efficiency. Though the machine was eventually retired, its reputation lingered among the crew.
Maintenance Challenges and Restoration Tips
Restoring a C-350 requires patience and mechanical skill. Common issues include:
Parts Availability and Legacy Support
While Bantam was eventually acquired by Koehring and later absorbed into Terex Corporation, parts for the C-350 remain available through specialty suppliers and salvage yards. Manuals for the C-350 and its sibling C-450 include detailed diagrams of:
Adaptability and Modern Use Cases
Despite its age, the C-350 can still serve in niche roles:
Conclusion
The Bantam C-350 crane stands as a testament to mid-century American engineering—rugged, adaptable, and built for real-world conditions. Whether digging in gravel pits or lifting logs in remote sawmills, it earned its place through performance and persistence. Today, restorers and operators continue to honor its legacy, proving that even decades later, the iron still has work to do.
Founded in 1942 by Vern and Wilbur Schield in Waverly, Iowa, the Schield Bantam Company quickly became a dominant force in the crane and excavator market. By 1955, Bantam had sold over 1,000 truck-mounted cranes, claiming the title of the world’s largest producer of such machines. The company’s reputation for rugged, mobile, and versatile equipment led to widespread adoption in construction, mining, and municipal work.
The Bantam C-350 was part of a mid-range series of crawler-mounted cranes designed for digging, lifting, and material handling. It was often used in gravel pits, sawmills, and infrastructure projects like highway construction. With a Detroit Diesel 3-53 engine and a robust mechanical drivetrain, the C-350 offered a balance of power and simplicity that made it popular among operators who valued field serviceability.
Core Specifications and Mechanical Features
The C-350 was built for durability and adaptability. Key features included:
- Detroit Diesel 3-53 two-stroke engine producing approximately 100 horsepower
- Crawler undercarriage with steel grousers for traction in soft terrain
- Mechanical transmission with vertical drive shaft and chain-driven track system
- Modular boom configurations including shovel, hoe, and dragline setups
- Manual controls with cable-operated digging locks and swing mechanisms
Operators appreciated the C-350’s ability to switch between configurations. A shovel front could be swapped for a hoe boom or dragline bucket, allowing the same machine to perform trenching, loading, and dredging tasks.
Field Use and Operator Stories
The C-350 was often deployed in remote or rugged environments. One unit worked for decades in a gravel pit in southwest Michigan, contributing to the construction of Interstate 94. Another was stationed at a sawmill near Fort McMurray, Alberta, where it loaded logs and debris with minimal downtime.
Operators recall the machine’s reliability and quirks. A six-inch roller bearing on the track drive was known to wear out after heavy use, but could be replaced in the field with basic tools. The center pin bearing—critical for swing rotation—was another wear point, often rebuilt with locally machined parts.
In 1976, a town dump in rural Ontario housed a pristine C-350 with both shovel and hoe fronts. Locals remember watching it dig trenches and load refuse with quiet efficiency. Though the machine was eventually retired, its reputation lingered among the crew.
Maintenance Challenges and Restoration Tips
Restoring a C-350 requires patience and mechanical skill. Common issues include:
- Worn roller bearings on the track drive sprockets
- Stretched or rusted swing chains
- Hydraulic leaks at control valves and cylinders
- Electrical degradation in starter and lighting circuits
- Fuel system contamination from long-term storage
- Source bearings from industrial suppliers or machine custom replacements
- Clean and tension swing chains regularly
- Replace hydraulic seals with Viton or nitrile rubber for longevity
- Rewire with marine-grade cable and weatherproof connectors
- Flush fuel tanks and lines before startup, especially after years of inactivity
Parts Availability and Legacy Support
While Bantam was eventually acquired by Koehring and later absorbed into Terex Corporation, parts for the C-350 remain available through specialty suppliers and salvage yards. Manuals for the C-350 and its sibling C-450 include detailed diagrams of:
- Transmission and control linkages
- Vertical and lower drive shafts
- Car body and crawler frame assemblies
- Boom configurations and cable routing
- Maintenance groups for lubrication and inspection
Adaptability and Modern Use Cases
Despite its age, the C-350 can still serve in niche roles:
- Farm lifting and material handling
- Small-scale dredging or pond excavation
- Logging yard cleanup
- Historical demonstration at equipment shows
Conclusion
The Bantam C-350 crane stands as a testament to mid-century American engineering—rugged, adaptable, and built for real-world conditions. Whether digging in gravel pits or lifting logs in remote sawmills, it earned its place through performance and persistence. Today, restorers and operators continue to honor its legacy, proving that even decades later, the iron still has work to do.
