97 monte 3.1 stumbles upon acceleration

The car takes off from a stop as it should. However, it shifts hard from 2nd to 3rd gear and that's when it stumbles and doesn't want to accelerate. It'll go if you press pedal at least halfway down. It runs great other than that. It only has 60k.

CE light on or flashing? Check for codes?

If the car is not misfiring, could have a partially plugged cat...

CE light is not on, no codes have been stored and no mis-firing. Catalytic converter is not clogged either. Not sure what it could be. It's making me mental.

Ok, fuel pressure with key on is 41 psi. However, in one minute, it steadily drops to 34psi. Any ideas?

That sounds a lot like the 3.1 Malibu head gasket problems - check out that thread. And its the Fel-Pro trouble shooter intake gasket. It has metal on plastic - not plastic only like the originals used with that orange coolant crap.