Ouch!

To answer your original question, I usually shift at 6700 - 6800, with the MSD 'pill' at 7K.

Hope mine doesn't look that bad, but I have different symptoms than you. Got all the external stuff off last night, all that remains is to unbolt the transmission and motor mounts.

I'm thinking of saving the oil drain pan full of metal chunks to remind me not to let someone else work on my car...