I guess I wouldn’t expect anything else with your skill set - but it looks lovely, so nicely done.
I know you haven’t fitted your windows yet - but somehow all your photos inside looks bright and airy !? How is that so? Is that from the roof light, flash, or are lighting it inside whilst you work?
If you can … it’s probably worth sharing a picture.
Possibly you have more than one thing happening here.
With it braking better in reverse .. have you got your shoes the right way around and are your back plates on the right side? Is your snail cam on the front side of the plate?
The pedal sinking sounds like the master cylinder to me. If you’ve no fluid leaking anywhere, no build up in the seal behind the rod for example, then I would think your piston seals have failed and pressure is bleeding back to the reservoir side. As has been said - there are carp cylinders out there. Sadly many of them in my experience
Not a 4x4 but thought this might be useful for someone ?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126033551679?
Heystee Series disc conversion - with an interesting write up in the description.
They look fab.
Where do you get your paint from ? I bought a small pot, but it was pretty expensive .. and I’ve a quick release Woden do to at some point.
One of the issues of a 200tdi seems to escalating prices as they become scarcer - which also unfortunately means they are all older and harder to find a good one.
They are the king of Land Rover engines though. 😋