As to fitting the gear lever onto dropped bars, it's quite easy actually. I have been using a mountain bike type 9 speed lever on the tops of my main Audax bike,which has dropped bars, for the last 7 years.
All you need is a power drill and the right size flapwheel to open up the diameter of the clip which fits onto the bars.
Just clamp the changing unit firmly in a vise and just work the flapwheel around inside the clip until it fits. Try it for size regularly and ensure that you work mainly on the thickest part of the clamp so that you don't weaken it too much. Also, try and keep the 'hole' as round as possible.
The clamp is only made of aluminium. So it won't take too long to remove the excess metal.