Just wish you were closer. I look for those rakes all the time for my Amish friends. Cannot tell from picture how the teeth are and then the gear in center front of real that controls tooth angle is the next big thing. They could be built up but not an easy job, if worn the teeth will flip around and not stay in place, in other words you would be trying to rake with the bottom bar of teeth pointing up instead of down at the hay. I have not definatly found out what the 553 is but I think it is a 3 bar rake. And the 594 is definatly a 4 bar. The place most likely for levers having a hard time to move is where the rear caster wheels swivel. and that it slides up and down on the axle to raise and lower the back end. From the looks in the picture if I had to drive a hundred mile to pick it up it would be a $250 rake, now consider the transporting and dealer markup that would have to be applied when I go it to his place it would go on his lot for $700 or more. I assume you are in penn. so getting it to In would be cost prohibitive. If that was a New Idea price on lot would jump to $850.