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Sounds like you might have problems with the reservoir. If the seals are poor the pressure to bleed the brakes will not be maintained and you will find it tricky to get all the air out. As a rule when you pull the plunger on the top of the reservoir up it should stay up and you can then bleed the brakes as plunger is a piston acting down on the brake fluid via a spring and some brake seals. It might be the master cylinder bore is worn or the flexible hydraulic hoses are weak.
The Appia Consortium has most of the seals you might need as well as new hoses.
Clarkey

A slightly different design

Try driving with the headlights on!
I had  splutter at 3,000 rpm. I have a 123 electronic ignition fitted and it was traced to the voltage regulator overvolting at high rpm causing the electronic ignition to cut out (they are very voltage sensitive). I noticed that it never spluttered at night. I changed to a modern solid state VR. Problem solved. What sort of VR do you have?

Is there a link to Brian's tips about bleeding the brakes. I have just replaced the seals in the master cylinder and changed the pressure switch but cannot successfully bleed the brakes. I have about 80% pedal travel before any resistance is felt. There appears to be no air in the system and the last 20% of pedal movement does lock up the drums. This is on a series 2

Hi Brian
I am recommissioning an Appia Series 2 at the moment and the part's catelogue would be extremely useful. Are you going to the SPR tomorrow? If so see you there.
Cheers
Simon
S1 Fulvia Sport
S2 Appia (90%)

[now]

Last year Esso advised around August/September time their marked E5 had 0% ethanol would now contain some to a maximum of 5% added, the 0% ethanol era added has now ended. May be some areas can still get 0% added?   The different suppliers add their own brand of additives, the basic fuel from the refinery is the same across the UK, Esso, BP and Shell probably have better additives and detergents than the supermarkets is the commonly held view.

'We currently supply an ethanol-free Synergy Supreme+ 99 unleaded in some parts of the UK. From September 2023 our Synergy Supreme+ 99 will transition to contain up to a maximum of 5% ethanol at all Esso pumps irrespective of which part of the country they are located. The labelling at our pumps will remain as E5 for Synergy Supreme+ 99 unleaded'

Thanks for the wheel nut info.

There's all sorts of things on fuel. Tesco that I use are contracted to Esso so Tesco fuel seems to be "branded" fuel anyway. It is said that all fuel is the same ex refinery and the brands just put their own additives in before delivery to the petrol station. I'm presuming the ethanol for E5 and E10 petrol is one of those additives. E5 and E10 of course mean "no more than" 5% or 10% ethanol. I'm also told there is variation according to which refinery it comes from with my local Esso E5 being 0% ethanol. There must be lots of research one can do but people seem to speak well of Shell's premium offer and poorly of Morrisons super market fuel.

Many thanks all for your guidance
I’ll get in touch with Ice Blasters. Though the need get the car on your own ramp might be problematic.
Thoughts on protective treatments also appreciated.

For information - I bought my NORMA NORMETTA  hose clamps from www.iq-parts-shop.com in the Netherlands in 2018. The cost then for 100 x 5mm and 100 x 9mm clamps, 25m of 9mm band and 20m of 5m band was 75 Euros including shipping. Their prices today are not dramatically increased, but of course there's the risk of inport tax on top of the purchase and shipping.

I read the same article Tim and have used that method for a few small repairs, it certainly works. As you say it’s also very messy but a good way not to disturb sound material. The prospect of doing a whole car though, perhaps rear axle out one year and front subframe the next, assuming you’ve recovered sufficiently!