Tim,
I have a 53 with powerglide full pressure engine (no Oil distributor on drivers side) with short side cover. A good way to ID the 53 powerglide engine is the captains bars on the block above the starter. (The only other block that I know of with captains bars is the 261, but they have them on both sides of the block.)
Carl

1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission