I have never personally seen a 70 model year 4-speed with the lever style side cover. The T/A & AAR were the first to use the 2.47 close ratio gearset, it was standard for all 71 and newer 23 splines.
I've owned and work on several original T/A and AAR 4 speed cars, all of them had the cast iron side cover, not the later aluminum used from 1971 on
I'm trying to remember when the T/A and AAR production started and stop, I'm thinking from 11-1969 to maybe 3-1970
I know a lot of those cars sat on dealers lots unsold for a longtime