robertj298 

I've changed 2 freewheels from uniglide to hyperglide with no problems
Both provide smoother and quieter shifting after the change

tkamd73 

There is no shortage of vintage freewheels, I got a bunch of them sitting in boxes, but they aren’t cheap, and other then esthetics, see no reason to use one in any of my builds, mainly because I actually ride them
I agree with you, on the Sunrace freewheels, quality can be dismal, and really no improvement in shifting. The shimano is not as pretty as my old Regina and SunTour models, but I think I see your problem why the Shimano doesn’t work for you, Assuming it’s just not esthetics. I know this is CV, but you have to be willing to ditch the vintage chain.
Vintage derailleurs work better with a modern freewheel and a newer chain. If your not willing to switch chains, moot point. Of course, we me be talking about different stages of vintage derailleurs, mine only go back to the late 70s
Tim

63rickert

All the 5 speed wheels on the rack go into any of my 5 speed bikes with no adjustments, no fiddling, no problems. All the 6 speed wheels on the rack go into any of the wife’s 6 speed bikes with no adjustment, no fiddling, no problems. Any of these wheels will also go into any other old bike that has not been molested. This is possible because we use original equipment and leave the bikes alone.

Shimano is all about re-inventing the wheel continuously, obsoleting everything daily, refusing to provide parts backup for anything. They treat retail customers like dirt and they treat their biggest OEM customers like dirt. And they spend enough on advertising that you all love them anyway.

Uniglide and hyperglide and version 17.3 of whatever they made yesterday do not work better. They work different. If you want a modern bike get a modern bike. Vintage bikes work best with vintage parts.

What is this ongoing animus against Regina freewheels? Incomprehensible.

JohnDThompson 

I have to differ with you on this. In my experience, Uniglide and Hyperglide tooth profiles shift quicker and cleaner than other tooth profiles, even with vintage chains and friction derailleurs. The Shimano 74nn and 64nn series freewheels are mechanically among the best ever put on the market. Shimano's modern production doesn't quite measure up, but the tooth profiles still work better.

The old two-notch Regina freewheels were notorious for the delicacy of their remover notches. If carelessly applied, the freewheel remover tool can easily damage them beyond redemption. To their credit, Regina did eventually adopt the splined pattern used by Atom, Zeus, Everest and others, but left other undesirable features in place: a body originally design for four sprockets with a fifth, sixth, and good lord even a seventh cobbled onto it by mounting them on the outermost sprockets. The multiple sprocket mounting diameters using threaded sprockets for all positions, with left-hand thread on the innermost, so you need a special clamp to remove the final sprocket.

So sorry. Not a fan.

BFisher

To the OP, obviously a lot of experience and opinions about this. Plenty of options out there that work well, and no reason to make it more complicated than it actually is. We're talking about 5,6, and 7 speed friction systems here. The gearing you want is out there, and outside of occasional QC issues, it all works.

Hope you have a blast when you grind that gravel!