[dingocooke]

Ricky, it sounds very much from your description and your remedy that the master cylinder is sticking; happens occasionally on a car thats laid up for a while.
Check that there's nothing making the pedal bind, then whip the master cyclinder off and check it over; you might end up resealing it but its not a difficult job for a boy of your talents.

Hope you get it sorted; how long until its in serious use??