What kind of car did you have before? Pushrod engines like in the 1800 make a lot of noise compared to a Honda, but aren't bad. You ought to adjust the valves to what's in the manual and see if that changes anything. I can't recall what it is for certain, but I think the spec is .022"-.026" or so.

Did the brakes atart working after you started the car, or did the pedal just get easier to push? If the latter, it's just because the booster is, well, boosting using the suction in the intake manifold to augment the pressure applied by your foot.

Lastly, your brakes are right. It wasn't until 1970 that the booster was in line with the master cylinder. The dual line system appeared in 67 or 68, though.

--Justin
70 1800E
66 122E