My first banger, a 1972 Mark 3 Cortina, weighed nearly a ton and did not have a brake servo. From my researches (trawling round scrap yards looking for spare parts as one did in the 80's) this was rare.
I could still lock the front wheels on dry tarmac but this really did require almost standing on the brake pedal.
When I was about 17 I spent a few weeks working on a farm in Canada
They had an old American car there with power windows, steering and everything
but non powered brakes!!!
and it was standard 1970s Yank sized
stopping it was an experience!!!
Seemed like they had their priorities wrong - steering that could spin the wheel with you little finger - but stopping the car requires huge effort