"Um, no, you can't, if I'm understanding your post correctly. Fork and wheel size have not a whit to do with brake lever compatibility. V-brakes work with v-brake levers. Traditional cantis and caliper brakes work with normal brake levers. Playing with fork and wheel size isn't going to change this."

Wrong, it changes the relationship of the boss to the rim, and as a rusult it changes the take-up ratio. The only problem is you can only use U-brakes with adjustible pad positions that reach the new rim, and even then how much leverage you have remains to be seen, still it's low profile, and it works.