The really good stuff from Sears predates your Free Spirit
and usually goes under the name of J.C. Higgins or there
was one 531 bike sold as a Ted Williams.

The older JC Higgins three speeds were Austrian sourced,
and they were very solid bikes of that type. The rear
hubs were a Sturmy Archer ripoff, which at the time
of the 60's and possibly 70's were actually of better
quality (IMO).

If you get one old enough, it will have a custom cutout
J.C. Higgins Chainwheel on the front.

I've had a couple over the years. Probably as good as
the Raleigh 3 speeds of the same era.