Faema Lambro restoration project 3

-- Project finished - The Lambro has now mowed to a new home!

The second Lambro seen further down this blog found a happy owner and is now living as an Vintage analog standpoint in a handicraft bakery spilling it's glory to everyone who visits.......and of course makes a great cup of espresso.

 I of course could not pass away the opportunity of refurbishing yet another old Faema Lambro. 

This Lambro I estimate to be from around 1957-58 due to it's chromed brass panels and drip tray cover as opposed to the later stainless steel ditto. Also other small things such as streight notched screws in the Steam and Water valve assembly's and mains water valve proves that this probably must be one of the oldest Lambro's out there. 

It was actually in reasonable shape when I got it in and the boiler had been recently renovated. The previous owner and presumably restorer had been somewhat creative by replacing the original boiler end plate (too damaged I assume) with a flat piece of steel. That worked all fine except that the flat boiler end plate did not allow for the heating element to install in a regularly manner but had to be turned 180 deg. in order to fit in. This would expose the heating element much earlier if running low on water. I manage to source a second hand but original boiler end plate and it is now back to original. Also a 2400W heating element replaced the standard 1500W. The side panels was really scruffed and the insides of the machine was burned and sooted from long time use of the gas burner. I cleaned it all up and chose to spray paint the side panels in matte black.

Here follows a number of pictures from before the refurbishment.

The irregular flat sheet steel end plate with my marked line on to where the heating element reaches.

In order not to expose the heating element one had to make sure that the water level did not pass under the marker.

The original boiler end plate in place.

Also I replaced the 1500W heating element with a 2400W element which makes heating times much faster. 

Experimented with where to place the safety valve, vacuum breaker and pressurestat. Not the solution I ended up with though.

Polishing coming along nicely.