Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

I'd say if the engine looks "okay" in the photos, not overly bent / missing bits / cracked - it should run if the heater is operational.  The heater, like the smaller steam engines, you can re-make it (just hope no one has opened it up and lost the bits).  It would really have to had been dropped / miss handled badly to kill it, it is a very stout toy.

@Junkologist made a heater for one, here is that thread.
https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/general-discussion/empire-hot-air-engine/

I saw that one myself.  I don't think you have to worry about it physically and only the heater.  The back power cover screws are a yellow flag.  For one, it didn't come from the factory with washer.  Also, I am not sure the screws are factory - that bottom one 90% sure.

So very high chance its been opened and when you do open it, it could be empty of all heater parts.  If that is the case, you'd be hard pressed to recreate one.  The heater is much like a B-31 - just bigger - so you need those metal braces bits.  Again, you can take a look at that thread to share to see what is inside of a B-38 heater.

Good luck, I hope you get it and you are able to get it to run too!

I am pretty sure your band heaters will be too small in size and wattage.  My B-40 (same as the 38) has some strange floating heater coil in it, so a previous owner had to work on it.  I have no idea how that coil was used before, perhaps a 50s / 60s oven or something.  I did moved my 38's back cover to the 40, because I run the 40's display often (like when I do for Christmas next to the tree).  So technically I am looking for a B-38 but only if it is really trashed / for parts and only to steal the back nickel cover.

This B-38 you are looking at isn't a candidate for sealing parts from, IMO.  I am not holding my breath finding one either where I can seal the back nickel cover and feel okay about doing that.  Now days, I am kind of picky when I buy a engine for parts.