Frick portable steam engine

I looked over a Frick portable today, about a 40 HP. The engine was being used to run a shingle mill and cord wood saw up until about 4 yrs. ago. It has been under cover and looks well maintained. The engine itself seemed to be in great condition and was very complete, all the plumbing and accessories were still in place. The boiler seemed sound, but some of the tubes may need replacing. A bigger concern was the stay bolts. A few of them were rusted down to half original diameter and would need replacing I imagine. Questions I have which some of you may be able to help with: I live in eastern Pennsylvania, where is the nearest shop who could replace the stay bolts? How much would that cost (I'm sure it isn't cheap)? What would a fair price be to offer for this engine? Any other words of wisdom or advice would be appreciated.

If you are in sSouthe eatern PA give the boys at Rough & Tumble a call. They'll be able to give you a rough idea what is needed. The people at Strasburg RR can and do build entire new boilers for outside people, they may do repairs as well, but their expertise doesn't come cheap.

Before you get involved, you need to check the thickness of the crown sheet with an ultra-sound thickness tester. If the stays are that worn, the sheets may be thin as well. Needing a boiler would make it scrap price if you're willing to invest 15,000 having a boiler fabricated. Paperwork showing previous inspections is a plus. PA now requires yearly thickness testing. A hydro-test will show leaking flues. What area of Eastern PA are you looking for someone to do the work? That's a big area.