Jerry, for passenger cars, the spray-oiler 235 (solid lifter) was used with the 3-speed manual transmission in '53.
Before that, only Powerglide-equipped cars had spray-oiler 235s from '50-52, and they were equipped with hydraulic lifters, just as your wrote. '53 was a transition year, where the Powerglide cars got the first "full pressure" 235s with insert rod bearings (and hydraulic lifters), while those with standard transmissions still had the earlier spray-oiler design.
HD trucks started with the early 235s back in '41 as you know, although I've never seen one with a 3-speed (always 4-speed). Interesting that TSP found a refence to a truck 3-speed with 235.
I believe among the spray-oiler 235s, only the '53 engines had side engine mounts. The '50-52 cars with Powerglide used the front/timing plate mount, as was used for the 216s. I'm not sure if the '50-'52 235 blocks had side-mounting provisions, but I don't think so. The side "tower" mounts were first used in '53-'54 cars.
I have a '53 Powerglide (full pressure) engine in my shop at the moment that doesn't look to have ever been apart (casting date of December, '52). It has both the side mounts, used in the '53-'54 cars, and the older-style front/timing plate with mounting provisions, even though they weren't used in '53 cars. Maybe Chevy was working off the older stock (of timing plates) going into the '53 model year?
As for your '52 engine with Powerglide, the factory never combined the 216 with a Powerglide, so that wouldn't be an original combination.
Hope this helps.
Doug
