I just purchased a 1970 Europiccola off Ebay and am quite impatiently awaiting the machine to arrive. The seller admitted that while he was pulling shots from the machine prior to selling it, the gaskets needed to be replaced. After reading many a thread here on HB about the older machines, and parts for them, I've decided to ask a few questions about where to purchase things. Most importantly I'd like to purchase a gasket kit as soon as possible, I just want to ensure I'm purchasing a compatible set.

1. Which gaskets do I use for these Vintage machine? In a previous thread (from 2014), I saw the OE link for vintage brass sleeve machines linked. it doesn't seem like they are selling the gaskets anymore. With that being said, do the pre-millennium gaskets kits work for the older models?

2. Do all Pre-Millennium portafilters work on this machine or are they an cheaper alternatives to go about making a bottomless portafilter? Specifically, I read that the ROK 49mm portafilter might be usable with this machine, any clarification to that?

3. I also intend on adding a pressure-gauge to the machine. Any recommendations on a gauge to buy?

The machine will arrive in 2 days, I'm sure I'll have more question then.

Sweet new old machine! I'm interested in getting an older lever machine as well. Hopping on the thread.

OE stocks the brass sleeve group rebuild kit and is only vendor in north America with this item ; WILY CAFE has a top notch gauge and adapter , naked PF on sale at CAFELAT ...

The beautiful quality of the early portafilters makes it seem a bad thing to contemplate hacking them up.

You can get two different bottomless ones. The cafelat is probably the most common, the 49mm one fits all 49mm from both first and second generations. The "naked" one from Hungary fits all 49mm La Pavonis, Micro Casa a Levas (MCAL) , and also the Creminas.

The La Pavoni machines have left handed portafilters, the others are right handed. The "Naked" ones from Hungary have lugs that are right handed on one side and left on the other, so they fit all of these 49mm machines. Perhaps there may be some that have weird pitch, but the one I have fits on a 1964, a 1978, and a 1999 La Pavoni and on a 2013 MCAL. I have a Cafelat one too, it only fits on the La Pavonis, all three of the ones I have.

(If you get either of these stainless steel bottomless ones you can put brass handles on them, because the stainless steel is a terrible heat conductor.)

I personally would hate not to have a normal portafilter. The Cafelat can be used both bottomless and with a bottom. It is not uncommon for those "chopping" portafilters to do it badly. I say if you want a bottomless one, order one of the two described above.

nuanced wrote:OE stocks the brass sleeve group rebuild kit and is only vendor in north America with this item ; WILY CAFE has a top notch gauge and adapter , naked PF on sale at CAFELAT ...

So, I'm assuming I need to purchase the Brass Sleeve Removal tool from OE and the Pre-millennium group rebuild kit? I'm just wanting to ensure I get the right things and don't wind up purchasing the wrong thing.

rpavlis wrote:The beautiful quality of the early portafilters makes it seem a bad thing to contemplate hacking them up.

You can get two different bottomless ones. The cafelat is probably the most common, the 49mm one fits all 49mm from both first and second generations. The "naked" one from Hungary fits all 49mm La Pavonis, Micro Casa a Levas (MCAL) , and also the Creminas.

The La Pavoni machines have left handed portafilters, the others are right handed. The "Naked" ones from Hungary have lugs that are right handed on one side and left on the other, so they fit all of these 49mm machines. Perhaps there may be some that have weird pitch, but the one I have fits on a 1964, a 1978, and a 1999 La Pavoni and on a 2013 MCAL. I have a Cafelat one too, it only fits on the La Pavonis, all three of the ones I have.

(If you get either of these stainless steel bottomless ones you can put brass handles on them, because the stainless steel is a terrible heat conductor.)

I personally would hate not to have a normal portafilter. The Cafelat can be used both bottomless and with a bottom. It is not uncommon for those "chopping" portafilters to do it badly. I say if you want a bottomless one, order one of the two described above.

I do think I'll get the portafitler from cafelat. There is no way I'd want to chop up the PF that comes with the machine.

JoeyDee9 wrote:So, I'm assuming I need to purchase the Brass Sleeve Removal tool from OE and the Pre-millennium group rebuild kit? I'm just wanting to ensure I get the right things and don't wind up purchasing the wrong thing.

Yes, that one is needed for changing the piston gaskets. I tried homemade things, but without success. Others were luckier. Probably worth the time and effort to buy it if you're in the US.

Don't know about the OE gasket set. Francesco also has gaskets for the brass sleeve itself as well as the cap: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/Faida ... pavoni.htm
Looking more carefully, the OE gaskets look like 2nd generation gaskets.

JoeyDee9 wrote:I do think I'll get the portafitler from cafelat. There is no way I'd want to chop up the PF I'm getting with the machine and that one looks sleek and has the optional bottom.

I have the cafelat and am very happy with it. Find myself never using the extra double spout though, and you shouldn't need it since you have the nice old portafilter. Therefore, I'd consider the NAKED ones just in case you'll get another machine in the future. I wish I had done so.

the CAFELAT STORE bottomless at $76.50 is a xlnt buy ; it also has the grove for spring , machined [ secures PF ] ..... OE group kit specify > brass sleeve kit , not pre-mil , yes, tool is best way to remove , just made one and did it before with hammer and carpentry nail set .....

also , meant to say secures PF basket , OE price on brass sleeve removal tool is the best around , high quality 49mm PF from GABOR [HUNGARY] will cost approx. $120 INCL. ship ; not sure if it is spring grooved [?]

I went ahead and E-Mailed Francesco about getting some gaskets, those are my highest priority at the moment. As I haven't seen a photo or gotten the machine yet, I'm still unsure if this one will have the removable shower screen. Because of that, I'll wait on the sleeve removal tool until I can more properly assess the machine.

I'm quite sure it does not have the removable screen. Source: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/lapavoni_ep_eng.htm