To piggy back on this, what do people recommend as replacement 5, 6, or 7 speed freewheels?

I'm not a fan of how the Shimano made-in-China ones look and feel compared to earlier Japan and Singapore made ones, or even better Suntour -- NOS can be hard to come by at a price I'd pay.

The new Shimano freewheels seem to work ok but the materials don't seem as sturdy. I wonder if they'll stand up as well as the older ones?

Also, my mechanic advised me to replace my freewheel when replacing my chain ... how would a freewheel overhaul affect this recommendation?