Rancilio Z9 LE (Lever) 2Gr Rebuild/Restoration

coffeehorse

Hey Everyone,

Figured posting up my project would encourage me to get it done - well, if everyone starts looking over my shoulder and prodding me about stuff it'll get done!

Some strip-down pics:

1) Nasty, nasty left group
2) Orange panels painted over with pearlescent grey crud at some point in last 6 years for use as a prop in an Aussie film
3) Dodgy wiring job, original mercury switches replaced with Sirai
4) No rust here - address the rust problem myself of get all iron work sandblasted/bead blasted and re-coated?

coffeehorse

This morning pic attached: Previously... - Fixed bend in cup warming rods - Fixed front panel bend - All panels removed except front - Paint removed from most panels - New plug attached - Drain tray cleaned out, clear drain hose & thumb screw collar fitted Today I: - Fixed give in left handle - Removed front panel - Bagged and labelled all parts removed to date - De-wired Gicar, water level probe, Sirai, element. - Removed tap fronts for easy removal/soak of tap assembly - Removed pipes from boiler <-> groups - Removed hot water wand, steam wands Next: - continue stripdown to get frame + boiler free -- remove gicar -- remove sirai -- remove all brass fittings + remaining pipework - work on lever group dissembly

Koffee_Kosmo

Good luck on the rebuild mate Plenty of us here can offer help and encouragement KK

coffeehorse

Thanks KK - main thing that's got me confused is trying to get a wiring diagram for the mercury switches (there's no cooler sound and it looks like the previous electrical issue was elsehwere) and working out where to take stuff and how much to budget for the frame strip-down and panel powder coating. The steelwork on it is fairly average quality and I've thought about getting it chrome-dipped, there's a rust issue (small but spot rust on a couple of panels + more rust on main frame, and not sure of boiler material (looks like a standard tin one) so trying to decide whether to do an exterior rinse on boiler or stop it up and get the internal crud out only. Couple of pics as bought - if you love espresso machines as much as I do you'll probably be close to tears:  :o

Lacehim

That makes me want another project.  All these levers... Where do you find these machines?  Even the busted ones go for heaps on fleabay.

Cuppacoffee

Looks like it will keep you out of mischief for a while John - all the best with the restoration. 

beanflying

Curses I reckon he has just done it to guilt me into getting into my resto of the same toy  ;D Just to avoid confusion I will open a sister thread and link the first two postings to each other when I set mine up on the bench Wednesday. Few links worth a read for info etc. http://www.sreweb.com/diagrams/rancilioa.htm http://www.home-barista.com/levers/rancilio-z9-two-group-lever-machine-t12840.html?hilit=z9%20lever http://www.home-barista.com/levers/pid-controller-in-commercial-lever-t13264.html?hilit=z9%20lever#p159698 - kind of defeats the purpose of simple

coffeehorse

on 1318660532:

That makes me want another project.  All these levers... Where do you find these machines?  Even the busted ones go for heaps on fleabay.

Someone I consider a friend yelled at me over twitter that it was showing on eBay via a classified ad at 11.30 in the evening, 9 minutes after it listed. I made a substantive offer at 2.30am, with an emo-sounding email, and got the offer accepted at 7.30 in the morning. Previously it's been a case of watching eBay, gumtree and a few others - if you're seriously after one of these I reckon the prices people were paying a couple of years ago are total bargains. Before I lucked out and was helped out with this (which will restore beautifully but is a bit lacking at the moment), I helped 4 people find Z8/Z9/NCL machines In my opinion they're one of the best lever machines out there - full, round and smooth shots combined with a retro look which is either loved or hated. While I'd prefer a 1 group for space reasons (and weight, these HEAVY), my preference for 'sipper' extractions over 'temperature forcing' means this'll allow me to rotate through the groups. So - short story: "I paid heaps for it on fleabay". I'm trying to decide whether to re-coat it in Orange (I believe it's the standard X15?) or go for a custom colour, maybe teal but probably cream.

Looks like it will keep you out of mischief for a while John - all the best with the restoration.

Thanks Dennis - it's been in the garage since August as the friends who unpacked it threw out the motor + pump while they were putting it up on the bench, but I'm slowly getting through it & have grabbed a pretty full list of all the smaller parts for resto.

on 1318668898:

Curses I reckon he has just done it to guilt me into getting into my resto of the same toy  Just to avoid confusion I will open a sister thread and link the first two postings to each other when I set mine up on the bench Wednesday.

Sounds great - I'm going to enjoy beating you to a full restored machine - that's if you have decals etc

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Just fixed up beanflying's links

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Few links worth a read for info etc. http://www.sreweb.com/diagrams/rancilioa.htm http://www.home-barista.com/levers/rancilio-z9-two-group-lever-machine-t12840.html?hilit=z9%20lever http://www.home-barista.com/levers/pid-controller-in-commercial-lever-t13264.html?hilit=z9%20lever#p159698 - kind of defeats the purpose of simple

coffeehorse

Does anyone know the original colour options for this? My wife is keen to go "pretty", I'm keen to go "classic". She hates the orange, I hate the red and the blue, that leaves... Grey? Yellow? Black? Oh, she hates the yellow :/...I think. If anyone seriously wants to buy this, PM me to discuss. With worse health of late, I'm not getting anywhere with it at all at the moment!

coffeehorse

Just a random question... is there anyone in Sydney who'd be happy to give me a hand with this rebuild+restore? Can pay in food/wine/whisky/and possibly a bit of $$ if needed! Unfortunately the back is getting no better, and this is sitting in pieces ready to get the final strip down done.

Koffee_Kosmo

on 1353831231:

Just a random question... is there anyone in Sydney who'd be happy to give me a hand with this rebuild+restore? Can pay in food/wine/whisky/and possibly a bit of $$ if needed! Unfortunately the back is getting no better, and this is sitting in pieces ready to get the final strip down done.

If I was in Sydney I would help in anyway I could KK

Koffee_Kosmo

on 1342757709:

Does anyone know the original colour options for this? My wife is keen to go "pretty", I'm keen to go "classic". She hates the orange, I hate the red and the blue, that leaves... Grey? Yellow? Black? Oh, she hates the yellow :/...I think. If anyone seriously wants to buy this, PM me to discuss. With worse health of late, I'm not getting anywhere with it at all at the moment!

I have only seen them in - Red, Yellow, Orange and Cream KK

Lacehim

Personally I would either leave it as is, or paint it what colour you want.  Lets face it, are you rebuilding it for you to use, or for resale value? Either that or give it to an artist and get something really custom.  That has my vote!

coffeehorse

I think i'll probably get both sets of panels re-done in a custom colour - as much as I love the original orange, Rancilio in Italy said that they did a few custom colours in the 70s and 80s and they considered them equal to or better than their stock colour range. However, as this machine is in parts, and needs a lot of work, and I ideally need the money to pay off the credit card, it is now officically FOR SALE to any lever nut. It's in working condition if you put the panels back on and reconnect a bit of wiring  :laugh:, but is in the middle of disassembly for a full strip-and-restore. I've also got over $450 of parts including new lever spring for one group and a newer model procon pump so it can be run from a tank. If no-one makes a serious offer for it I'll rebuild it as slowly as it takes, and get it right - these things make some of the best coffee of their era - strange when you consider how bad the non-lever ones could be when 'factory set'! (thanks KK & Lacehim) cheers, ~P