So, I found this ABC Coffee Gaggia lever machine on craigslist months ago and immediately went to the guys house. I ended up not going for it, because he wanted too much for a machine that had been sitting unused in a basement for at least 7 years. While there, it became evident that the group was NOT original. instead it is an older CMA group (chrome cowling). Fast-forward and it was back up on craigslist. I made an offer, and he went for it.

(I do have all the ABC body panels)

Disassembling went fairly easily, I have three bolts on the boiler that need to be drilled and tapped (Damn)
and im not really sure how to remove the piston from the rod. but otherwise I was pretty pleased.

So onto the difficulties.

It came with a modern gicar. but the solenoid looks like it has seen better days.

So, im trying to decide if I even want to replace it.
If I do replace it, I cant find an exact duplicate.
the solenoid says
R32 F 6400
115V60hz 8W
the closest I can find is a 9w replacement, would this work?
Do I even need the gicar/solenoid? This is for my personal home use, and I feel like I could be trusted to fill the machine manually (thoughts?)

next problem.
this could be the biggie.
the problem I see, is that there are THREE grouphead-boiler gaskets stacked on top of each other, this is due to the fact that boiler is attached to the frame via two bolt holes. that pop out on outside of the frame.
so the first two gaskets are "bent" around the bolts.


I question whether this ever even worked. thoughts? should i just try it?

moving onto the piston/spring.
the spring was shot. which brings me to an interesting question.
vintage CMA levers have a 13cm spring. BUT
modern CMA levers have a 14cm spring. BUT
it appears from diagrams (EP's) that the piston rod is the same size.
which one do I go for? does the 14cm spring give me a better pressure profile?
whats the best way to get the piston rod off of the piston without marring anything with nasty pliers or such?

Finally, im not in love with the ABC body, (can't stand it) and I'm contemplating a few different ideas,
either having a body made that closely resembles the original boxy italcrem gaggia, OR, going completely different and doing some sort of wood/glass assembly on the whole thing.
I'm kind of leaning toward the wood/glass assembly as it would just be something completely different. but that makes me question whether or not to use the original frame or not. If I don't use the original frame that COULD? solve my CMA/Gaggia grouphead gasket issue.

you can use any parker solenoid valve as long it's 118v. just take the cheapest you find on espressoparts, i just installed one one my 1953 gaggia (retrofitted an autofill system), r_1188 for rancilio for $55. you can exchange the fittings, the valve body has usually 1/8" bpp female.
my other (home) machine has only manual fill, works perfectly fine.

the 2 boiler-frame attachment bolts are supposed to be flathead bolts. the bolt holes on the frame are beveled, so that the flathead bolt head is flush with the frame. i use socket flathead in ss.
the grouphead attachments studs are way too long. replace them with shorter studs and use acorn nuts.

i have to agree, i totally dislike the ABC bodyworks. if i get my hands on an ABC gaggia i would strip it and steampunk it. similar to the la strada at mavelous in san francisco (it's on the espressoparts blog).

regarding the 140 mm spring, it gives you a slighter steeper pressure profile resp. higher initial pressure. i don't see any problem with that. indeed, most lever machines never reach the supposed 9bar.

hmm, no beveled edges here.


The frame does not look like it is thick enough to even cut a beveled edge into it.
I assumed that ABC used the original frame when putting their bodies on these, I wonder if that is a wrong assumption.

are those flat head bolts found anywhere on EP or OE?

That la strada at Ma-velous is gorgeous. I wonder if I could even get close to something that brilliant. My main concern is that the machine will just look empty. There is a lot less going on in a single group lever, than there is in a quad paddle group GB5. I may need to run to google and start some sketch-ups and see what I can come up with. Anyone in Nashville good with metal and glass?

you are right, there is no beveled bolt hole. on my 53 gaggia the frame is not sheet metal but flatbar.
well, check out my restoration blog cafeorione.blogspot.com to see what it looks like with the original group.

buy ss hardware at a good hardware store. ep, etc. will charge a leg and an arm. it's all metric, btw.

i think there is enough of plumbing and wiring going on to make the interior interesting enough to expose it.

again, check my blog regarding boiler/gh gasket and bolts. i used the regular gaskets i got from ep. no bending around....

Couple of things:

I've been working on a chart for all that parts that I will be needing, and realized Im missing something fairly important. I dont have a CLUE as to what parts to order for the sightglass (EDIT EP provided me with a schematic and list of parts)
anybody know where I can find a metal sight glass surround, I've got the plastic one, but really would prefer the metal.

Im also wondering what I need to do to get the bearings off of the CMA lever.

you mean the sight glass protector? original it is plastic, EP carries it.
i think i used faema sight glass gaskets for my 54' machine. i ordered lots of different gasket for the different parts for different brands (sight glass, steam valves, etc.). and some of them fitted fine... i also used plumbing gaskets bought at a well sorted hardware store and repurposed them resp. altered them, e.g. packing gasket for the valves.

How goes the restoration, Zoundguy?

pretty dang slowly, thanks for asking!
Luckily I have the Argenta so im not without espresso, so im dealing with the exorbitant amount of time its taking.

three bolts on the boiler had to be drilled out. I tried and failed to drill them myself. I took them to a local machine shop, and while they charged me only 40 bucks, it took them nearly 2 months to do it.
got the boiler back and realized I had 5 more bolts on the heating elements that are rusted out. (I was able to get one out. but the others just started shearing, so i quit.) Will probably take it back to the machine shop this week.

Also the sightglass, even with schematics, Im kind of lost as to what I need to get to restore this. Im wondering if it might be easier to just buy the parts for "any other machine out there" and just completely replace the sight glass. this is one of a few questions ive been meaning to ask doug and barb. but since the boiler is still being stubborn, I havent bothered to address.

in other news, im thinking a completely new body will be best at this point, So i've been spending a lot of time within google sketchup. ill post the sketchup once im satisfied.
Also, just for fun, im thinking about adding a Nixie tube display for an Arduino based PID that a buddy of mine is figuring out.

I noticed in the first picture, in the back, it appears that those lines are insulated in corrugated tubing, I like that. Mine didn't have that, but I bet it helps protect the lines from heat.

Good luck on the rebuild. Mines sitting a bit idle at the moment till I get the brass shims for the group and decide how I want to proceed with the cosmetics.

In the back, it appears that those lines are insulated in corrugated tubing,

it does/did.

Mine didn't have that, but I bet it helps protect the lines from heat.

it didn't.
all the electrical lines were dry rotted.

tom, so you have a ABC'd gaggia? Can I assume it actually has a gaggia group?
What are you thinking about in terms of body?