<VV> Brake adjustment question

[Grant Young]

I am trying to help out a friend who recently paid someone for a "complete" brake job on his 1966 Corsa convertible (single master cylinder). The situation we have is a hard brake pedal (very little travel) and a left front wheel that likes to lock up (screeeeechhhh!) when the brakes are strongly applied. I am assuming this might just be an adjustment issue, but wanted to get some input before pulling all the wheels and hunting for a problem caused by some turkey on Thanksgiving eve :-). (There appears to be a slight loss of fluid from the master cylinder - about 3/8" in the last month or so of limited driving time), but no apparent leak spots on the wheels or floor or drums).
Thanks for some long distance trouble-shooting advise,
Grant (non-Brakemeister)