Bicycle Mechanics - 5spd uniglide on a modern 26" mtb wheel.

I have a 5spd uniglide on a 26x1 3/8 wheel and I'm sure the eyelets are shot, so instead of finding a new set(or new to me) of 26x1 3/8 wheels can I thread my old uniglide to a more modern 26" mtb wheel.
Would it need to be dished out (not sure what that means tbh)
Do I need a special tool to do it? (Uniglide freewheel def doesn't look the same as the freewheel tool I'm used to)
Will it work in general? Is it all just the same standard thread as long as I use a shimano hub or can I use and joe shmoe wheel set?

When you say the eyelets are shot, do you mean the things around the spoke holes in the rim?

If you have a uniglide thread-on freewheel (were there ever even 5-speed cassette systems, people?), it'll thread right onto any conventional freewheel hub. If you have a cassette, things get more complicated.

Also, you are aware that your brakes may not work with a standard 26" rim, if they're designed for a 26/1 3/8" one, aren't you?

5 speed , you probably have a freewheel , so need the appropriate freewheel remover..

I was told my spoke nipples just turn and don't tension anything and means my eyelets are gone/rusted/damaged in the rim itself making turing impossible. I def need to change the brakes but I was going to anyways.
I was actually thinking of some nice odessy bmx caliper brakes, they should have enough reach if not I'm sure a LBS can fit my needs.
I'd like to put slicks on and it seems to be much easier to find a light durable mtb wheel and the tire selection is much greater than dealing with 26x1 3/8.

You can still find good rims and tires in 26x1-3/8" -- I wouldn't re-engineer the bike just yet. In fact, I'm in the process of converting a bike to this size. ;)

The rear hub and 5-speed Uniglide cassette have a much bigger problem with availability. You would be wise to have the new rear wheel built with a more modern hub.

The rear hub and 5-speed Uniglide cassette have a much bigger problem with availability. You would be wise to have the new rear wheel built with a more modern hub.
As Airburst questioned above, were there ever 5-speed cassettes? I've never seen anything fewer than 6-speeds and they weren't that common. I also assume it's a freewheel.

As Airburst questioned above, were there ever 5-speed cassettes? I've never seen anything fewer than 6-speeds and they weren't that common. I also assume it's a freewheel.

It might be a freewheel (probably is, now that I think about it), but there were 5-speed Uniglide cassettes at one point. As of right now, Loose Screws still has a couple left. ;)

....there were 5-speed Uniglide cassettes at one point. As of right now, Loose Screws still has a couple left. ;)
Well, wadda ya know! Indeed there were 5-speed cassettes as your reference to Loose Screws demonstrated. They must have been short lived and rare.

I was told my spoke nipples just turn and don't tension anything and means my eyelets are gone/rusted/damaged in the rim itself making turing impossible.

Well, that's a load of fertiliser. That's nothing to do with the eyelets, for the spokes not to tighten when the nipples turn, the threads would have to be stripped, and if the wheel's actually staying together, the threads probably aren't stripped.

What the mechanic may be trying to tell you is that the spoke threads are corroded to the nipples, and that any effort to tighten them is simply causing them to round off. That would be a lot more believable, and the spoke key would still turn without tightening anything, which could be interpreted as what you've been told.

As for brakes, you may find the braking power from BMX sidepull calipers to be a little lacking, what brakes do you have at the moment?