Morris Minor Owners Club

Thanks for setting me straight. It's been way too many years since I took apart what I thought was Mini remote booster to see how it works. I vaguely recall that it had it's own reservoir. The way you describe it is very similar to a pedal attached power assist except that the leakage from the pedal to the assist is hydraulic rather than mechanical. That makes sense.
You're right about the not used to pushing hard even though the natural panic is to push harder and harder. Of course my daughter is very unnatural in her responses and thought process. Never accured to her to just push harder when the engine died, but managed to call me while she coasted to a stop.

If the brakes are in good order - the pedal load is not 'high' by any means. Servo doesn't make the brakes any 'better' or more efficient - it just 'assists' and so reduces the load, sometimes making it too sensitive! Servos are available with different assist ratios. But on a drum braked Minor - they really are just a nuisance!