You cannot buy the parts before the machine work has been done. For instance, if you buy 30 over pistons and rings, but the bores needed 60 to clean up, you're holding a bag of stuff you cannot use. Ditto for the rod and main bearings. No good to have 10 under bearings when the crank was turned 20/20. If your mechanic told you to go buy all the parts, but didn't specify what you needed, GO FIND ANOTHER MECHANIC. QUICKLY, RUN !!! DO NOT LET THIS DUFUS TOUCH YOUR ENGINE.......
These days, having a mechanic rebuild an engine is frequently not cost effective. If you want to keep it as it came from Ford, that's fine. But if you not concerned with "stock" check out crate engines.
Did you ask the mechanic for a parts list? I agree that parts should not be ordered until the machine work is done. Is this a regular shop or a back yard deal?
Any legitimate mechanic would order them himself after running a price list by you for cost approval (unless you had custom parts you wanted on there).
If he doesn't know what to order, why is he working on your engine?
He is not working on my engine...
ok ok ok ....there are some parts that I just cant get before the machine work is done...but can anyone tell me which parts I can get before the machine work is done?
A full gasket set, oil pump, water pump, that's about it, but you can put the water pump on yourself and you really don't need it until the engine is done.
The bearings and rings will need to ordered after machine work. You may or may not need new pistons, it depends on if there is much of a ridge or if it can just take a hone job.
Thing is, if you'll wait until the machine work is done, you can sometimes either get a discount or save on or get free shipping since you're ording a big chunk at one time.