I find the vintage Oly. Cremina to have stood the test of time. The newest model is basically a deluxe model of the original design. There are many 70s 80s Creminas still producing great shots. A few gaskets possibly a pressurestat or heating element and your good to go for many more years. Is there an equivalent vintage pump machine? I do also have a vintage Oly. Maximatic/Coffex that I find to be a pretty decent machine but what are other thoughts on other vintage pump machines that are still worth looking for?
Ed B.

Ed...my (fornmer) Anita, a HX pump machine is not "Vintage", I found it's shots to be every bit as good as my Cremina (1981)...just different...
Thicker mouth feel from the pump, more "refined" taste from the Cremina. I will say, in defense of the Cremina, I have not pulled a G-shot from it as yet, and had many with the Anita. Sold her to a friend in need of a friend.
Back OT, I've had the pleasure of downing shots pulled on an older 1 group Faema (?). I think the skill of the barista had as much to do with the super goodness of those shots as anything. As your skill level might possibly/probably be more advanced than mine from a lever standpoint, you might have reached your mountain.
I'm not mechanically skilled enough to repair/restore an older machine. I'll be looking for a pump as well, strictly for the convenience.
Good luck in your search.

Vintage Quick Mill machines (Super Quick 0650 and Espresso Sprint 2000) from the 1970's can pull pretty good shots with similar mouthfeel as a lever machine's shot. Interesting little machines as you can adjust the flow rate with a knob. Never seen this on any other machines.
This is my Quick Mill 0650 (rebadged as Rega Wien):
http://flickr.com/photos/26907910@N07/sets/72157605866112666/

I currently am helping my friend to fix her vintage Quickmill omre 0650 and it's shockingly well built....Her's needs new wiring as I think there is no longer a ground wire. Ouch! But all joking aside, where can one get new seals for the group? Would orphan espresso be able to help me on this lever-like pump machine? Maybe be willing to help with a tune up? Also, the pump works but it sounds strained and no water will flow from the group. The thermoblock heats but maybe scale is to blame? Anyone have any ideas?

The group gasket is a simple O-ring, but I can't remember the exact size.

Wow, those are really cool machines. The flow rate thing is interesting.

SiD- wrote: Interesting little machines as you can adjust the flow rate with a knob. Never seen this on any other machines.

As long as the flow rate is not "Super Quick".

Yeah like I said, a cool machine. It's very compact, it even has a built in drain tube. You can choose to use it or not; simply by using the drip pan or removing it. pretty cool. But I digress: good news is I found some gaskets herehttp://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.espressomaschinendoctor.at/Ersatzteile-Hersteller/Quickmill-Ersatzteile/Quickmill-Bruehgruppendichtung.html%3FXTCsid%3Dnbsl45iaqd7b3jvlti0h0lust3&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.espressomaschinendoctor.at/%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1216%26bih%3D743&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhiEEHOnK8IK35Bd1sAuAiDzLFZxVQ

I'm not sure if they are the right fit though or if they ship to the US. And there are still the other issues I am having, can anyone else help with this pump /scale problem I am having too?

Hello SID,

I ve got just a Super quick like you, it's in a beautiful condition

I m really enjoying the machine, but I ve got the idea that my coffee temp sensor is not so correct anymore

Most of the time when I think the temp is correct to brew coffee, it begins to heat

Or when I start it up from cold, and I wait till the light goes out (so it should be warmed up then) When I strart the pump then there is just a lot of boiling, sputtering water and steam.
After that I ve to find a towel to dry the machine
So it got quite a stubborn temprement a the moment, wich I like, but I think it can do better

grtz Wouter

Not discounting the Quick, but anything with an E61 group can be considered vintage as the group design is older than the Cremina's. E61's have certainly stood the test of time.