Actually, it would help if I read your post. Arial doesn't have the style-y thin weights. I got a copy of Peter Bruhn's Eric Sans when I registered with Veer. It's light & has a hell of a lot more style than Helvetica.

Just buy the Prochez's Parisine or Parisine +.

http://www.typofonderie.com/Alphabets/ParisinePlus.asp
http://www.typofonderie.com/Alphabets/Parisine.asp

[what is a good substitute for Helvetica?
....Advil
]

How about Rian Hughes' Paralucent?

How about Paris 1960, part of House's Chalet collection?

(I can't believe I just now got the connection between "house" and "chalet." Should I even admit that?)

Oh, sorry, I missed the part where you wanted something for free. I think you should spend a little cash and get something well done. You'll use it again, I'm sure.

Chesh, I agree Mordecai would be better off buying fonts, but we don't know what his financial situation is. I'm sure he will find something that is functual on a freeware site. The thing he didn't ask for and I will applaud (clap, clap, clap, bet you didn't think I could do it with one hand) him, is he didn't ask anyone here to send him commercial fonts directly.

It doesn't really look like the Helveticas you mentioned, but check out Graham Meade's free, super-slim Walkway family of 51 fonts. Can choosers of freeware be picky?

ray larabie's Blue Highway or steelfish might work

edit:

Sorry bout the edit...but I think what I am really looking for would be something that looks like the following:

Helvetica 35 Thin
Helvetica 25 Ultra Light
and
Helvetica 45 Light

Thanks again.

Disco by Typografski. It's Helvomita-esque. It's anorexia-thin.
And it's FREE!

Chesh is right. Such as General

I really can't bring myself to like this face.

Arial

[Brain fart. Not sure why Nimbus was on my mind]