35mph on a stock MT is pretty good. It may be shifting and you're just not hearing it. If it was stuck in first gear, it would top out at about 15mph. You should get a manual with exploded view of the transmission setup so you can take it apart and make sure everything is properly adjusted and in working order. I also suggest posting pictures of the things you aren't sure of - example is the clutch shoes. There are different styles used on different trucks over the years and since we don't know how much your truck has been messed with, pictures help determine what you have and how to determine what's wrong if anything and how to fix it if needed.

9.5 turns out on any setting sounds like a LOT..