Secondary Stumble

He can drive along at say 40 mph mash it and it will stumble then pick right up
That sounds exactly like a power valve problem. I had the same problem and fixed it with the power valve. The same thing (stumble) should happen and any constant speed if you mash on the gas. The power valve "senses" a drop in vacuum when you mash on the gas, when it senses the drop in vacuum it gives the engine a boost of gas giving the accelerator pump a chance to catch up with the need for gas.