Crazy me recently won a 76 La Pavoni Europiccola via auction site. Wanting to customize the base in a different colour (73 yellow base) I opted for white. The lever handle was also showing signs of rust and chrome flaking. I asked the folks at Star powder coating what they could do. They were initially hesitant on media blasting the chrome handle due to previous poor results. I decided to take the risk and asked for a metal colour to be powder coated post media blast. Happy with the results. Replacing all seals and gaskets on machine. Element currently in Hungary with Gabor.

Original machine below :




My goal will be similar to below. Unit below is a 1st gen as noted by switch.

That is very cool, indeed.
I will probably custom color the base and lever as well.

Question: why did you need to send the heating element to Gabor? There are no spare parts anymore for this model?

It came with a 220v element and I'm in Canada 120v power supply. I could have used a step up transformer but want the ease of portability and potential ease of future sale. Gabor deals with a factory in Hungary that makes custom elements.

The white is sharp looking! I like white on espresso machines. very clean looking. The powdercoat on the lever arm came out great too. There is an amazing variety of powdercoat colors.

The switch in the first generation machine above is not the main thing that identifies it. The group has a brass sleeve and screws into the boiler. That is first generation. Switches can look different than that in the first generation version 1.7 shown on Francesco Ceccarelli's site. That is the same switch that is shown in the version 2.0 at the start of this thread.

drgary wrote:The switch in the first generation machine above is not the main thing that identifies it. The group has a brass sleeve and screws into the boiler. That is first generation. Switches can look different than that in the first generation version 1.7 shown on Francesco Ceccarelli's site. That is the same switch that is shown in the version 2.0 at the start of this thread.

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I'm aware but it was the most outstanding feature at first glance. The 1st and 2nd gen may have shared the two position switch but only the 1st gen had the round hole for the single position switch. The 2nd gen group also has two outside bolts that screw into the boiler as opposed to the first gen. I find that all information noted here is shared by others who want to know and learned when discussed. So thanks for all input.

That 1.7 ver 1974 is a rare beast. Having the two positions (minimum-maximum) with the switch 3-position (I-O-II) and the inner working of the brass hot water fed sleeve to boot.

I had a friend who had a '74 v1.7 that I helped him acquire. He got too frustrated trying to dial it in and sold it on. Happily it was purchased by an HBer on eBay so at least it stayed in our community.

But yeah, when he told me he was selling it, I was aghast. I told him it was a relatively rare model, with the brass sleeve group, removable shower screen, and 3-position switch.

He just wanted the simplicity of french press coffee.

redbone wrote:It came with a 220v element and I'm in Canada 120v power supply. I could have used a step up transformer but want the ease of portability and potential ease of future sale. Gabor deals with a factory in Hungary that makes custom elements.

I see.
The 120V elements that are sold today do not fit?

You can buy a newly manufactured boiler flange from Stefano's Espressocare (espressocare.com) that will seat the three screws of a new heating element, the new element and pressure pipe and switch. That will convert your machine into something like we documented on the Ultimate Europiccola thread. It is also far more expensive than getting the element rebuilt and using your existing boiler flange. The base of the machine will run hot with the new heating system, so you'll need to leave it bare aluminum, use engine paint, or maybe powder coat it. Maybe someone can comment on whether powder coat resists heat above boiling temperature. I believe the first of the 2nd gen machines had bases cast out of steel instead of aluminum because aluminum is too good of a conductor for that heat. I still like my Ultimate Europiccola but it's a tradeoff with restoring to the old heating and venting system, which can't be left on for hours.