(quoted from post at 21:51:01 12/12/18)
I'll agree with other that it's a good parts rake but it will take time and $$ to get it back to raking condition.
That bar in the 3rd photo has been torched, replacing the bar bearings is a good sized job and it looks like someone torched and welded the bars rather than doing it the correct way.
The wheel assembly has tapered bearing instead of bushings, the big castle nut adjust the preload, more than likely that one has a bad bearing, is the drive shaft between the wheels is missing, don't see a parting line in the rust on the stub near the castle nut.
The dog latch is inside the hubs and is automatic, no way to disconnect without disassembling the hub units.
A cable runs from a lever on the gear box to a flip lever near the from of the frame rail, moving the lever on the gear box forward disconnects the gear box from the reel, the lever is spring loaded to automatically engage the reel when the cable is released, if the lever isn't latched to prevent it from moving the gear box could engage during transport causing damage to the gear box and drive line.
The 56 rake was made from 59-67 and was replaced by the 256 which is still made today.
They are very similar and share many of the same parts. The bars, star wheels, gear box, wheel assemblies and axle assemblies are the same, the main frame, basket frame, basket support and reel support stub are different.
If the price is right I'd pick that one up for parts, new reel bars are over $350 each.
Personally I'd keep looking for a 256, the basket support adjustment is a slide that you tighten a clamp nut against to hold it in the position you want, the one on a 256 has notches for a square shouldered bolt which prevents the support from sliding down has I seen happen on 56 models.
When the front basket support is at the bottom of the slot it angles the basket to induce roping the hay in the windrow, this is one of the biggest complaints I've heard about the NH bar rakes, when the support is raised fully up it makes loose fluffy windrows, I have my 256 rakes set in the middle.
Our local dealer burnt some years ago and at a later auction I bought a new 256 rake that had been setting near the building in the crate, the crate and tires burnt and the heat from the tires burning warped the bars making them unusable. I bought a 56 with bent frame for the reel bars and star wheels to complete the 256, got my money back for the 56 when I sold the gear box.