Most everything will have to be tweaked or modified slightly, but it should be less work then putting a SBC in. Virtually nothing is the same between a '53 8BA / 8RT motor and the 1935 21 stud motor. Major differences include the previously mentioned water pumps, bellhousing, distributors, crankcase breather location, exhaust manifolds, etc.
A 8RTs have the early bell adapter factory on F1s. You need this for a 8BA if you plan to use the 35 clutch and Ford ( early) Top loader. If you could find a too far gone V8 F1-F5 for parts or the engine from one....,you would be way ahead.
You didn’t say what the ‘53 came from, Ford car or truck or Mercury. Ford pickups through ‘52 (IIRC) have the bellhousing you need as do ‘49 thru early ‘51 Mercury. That era Mercury clutch disc even has the same size spline and tooth count as the ‘35 Truck. Also, Mercury water pumps thru ‘51 have motor mount ‘ears’ (or arms) that are similar to the truck water pumps but the Mercury ‘ear’ is higher than the truck pump and requires a spacer between the frame mount pad and the pump to keep the engine at the correct height. These spacers used to be common hot rod parts, but not sure if they are still available. If they are, Speedway might have them, but they are also very easy to make....just a ‘U’ shaped piece of strap metal, laid on it’s side, with holes for bolts in ends of the ‘U’. The Mercury water pump pulleys are usually for narrow V belts, unlike the truck pumps which are wider belts.That makes a difference in fan and generator selection. However, Ford car also used the narrow belts by mid ‘50. ‘49 up Ford car and ‘52 up Mercury Flathead water pumps do not have the same type motor mounts as trucks or earlier Mercs. Hope some of this is useful. Ray
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