One of the early Rivieras, circa late 70's, that was sold by the Sunvalley, CA dealer. With some of the plating fade and paint loss that Zacconis of this era typically have. (Somebody got a little aggressive in the "polishing" on the right side of the boiler, and you can see a patch of the chrome underneath. It wasn't us!) Of course we think the nicks and scratches just add character, but overall the copper and brass patina against the black base looks awesome!
And this is the only example of this color combination we've come across!
New piston seals just installed. New steam valve seal. Updated with a new pressurestat. (The original pressurestats were impressive contraptions, but tend to give up the ghost over time. We'll include the original for fun if you want, but it's obviously way better to have your heating element turn off when it should, rather than not at all.)
It also has a new sub-base, and new rubber feet, and we've descaled, lubed and tested this, so should be good to go for quite a while!
The Riviera is, of course, the spring loaded piston model no longer offered by Zacconi. The spring "controls" the water pressure hitting the puck after releasing the handle, and that limits brew pressure to the rating of the spring. That obviously means you get the "same push" every time, which results in one less variable to worry about when chasing the ideal shot.
The lower brew pressure on these (as with most small spring loaded home machines) means the crema will be subdued, and you'll end up with a lighter, "more refined," shot in your cup. But there are few things more satisfying in the morning than pulling that spring lever down, and watching some liquid gold come out. And short of a giant ass commercial lever machine on your counter, this is one of the few options you have for that daily thrill at home!
Comes with the original double portafilter basket and new portafilter seal, of course.
Ask about a tamper if you don't have a 49mm one. (Pretty much the same as the Pre-Millennium Pavoni.)