Found and used the VIN decoder, I was shocked when it gave me this info -

<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #990000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #990000 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #990000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #990000 1px solid" width=600 align=center itxtvisited="1"><TBODY itxtvisited="1"><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 25px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 10px" align=left colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Your VIN number: 1FTEF14F8ANA25975</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #990000 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #990000 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #990000 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #990000 1px solid" width=600 align=center itxtvisited="1"><TBODY itxtvisited="1"><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">World Manufacturer Identifier - 1st, 2nd, 3rd Positions: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" width="25%" itxtvisited="1">Manufacturer: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Ford Motor Company, USA</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Make:</TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Ford</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Vehicle Type:</TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Truck (Completed Vehicle)</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Brake Type and GVWR Class - 4th Position: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Brake System: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1"> • Hydraulic brake system, Class E, GVWR 6,001-7,000 pounds, None</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Line Series, Chassis Type, Body Type - 5th, 6th, 7th Positions: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Line Series: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">F-Series - F150</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Chassis Type: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">4x4</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Body Type: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Regular Cab Styleside</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Engine Type - 8th Position: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Engine: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">7.3L Turbo</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Cylinders: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">V-8</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Fuel Type: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Diesel</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Horse Power: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">250-275</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Model Year - 10th Position: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Model Year: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Unknown, Please double check VIN number</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Assembly Plant - 11th Position: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Assembly Plant: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">Norfolk: Norfolk, Virginia</TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" align=left bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 itxtvisited="1">Production Sequence Number - 12th - 17th: </TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD bgColor=#0099cc colSpan=2 height=1 itxtvisited="1"></TD></TR><TR itxtvisited="1"><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" itxtvisited="1">Sequence Number: </TD><TD itxtvisited="1">A25975</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Being as mine is F100, 3.8V6, 2WD!!!

The truck has been resprayed in its life, so no sticker in the door shut, is there a tag or stamp anywhere on the truck?!

 

The VIN code is on a stamped plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side. It's visible through the windshield. The sequence number for the truck is stamped on top of the passenger side frame rail just behind the forward cab mount...the one on the front of the cab, not the core support mount.

There's more than thing amiss here. The VIN does check out to be a standard cab f150 4x4. The engine code F is for a carbed 302, so something is wrong with the VIN decoder you're using also.

 

Some of the decoders do not work very well. Also, it's not uncommon for someone to change the cab out. But you do have to be careful when you do this, or you can be in a bad situation. If you just bought this truck, I would go back and see if the previous owner has an explanation, and he may have the old title to the other truck laying around. Or you might want to undo the deal, and if he won't, then you can start tightening the legal screws on him. There is no way you are going to be able to title it legally without the vin matching.

A guy I work with ended up in the same boat, and hadn't even thought about what he did till I said something about it. He bought a 79 shortbed, and the cab was toast. He found another good cab that was already stripped and in good shape, and swapped it on. Rebuilt the engine, painted the frame, rewired it, etc. and now has it on the road. He was telling me this story, and how he got the cab, and I said "did the guy give you a title with the cab?" He tells me no. I said, "then your vin on the cab does not match the title correct?" I can see the panic suddenly cross his face, as he hadn't though about it.

It's been about a year since I told him, and he has gotten another old shortbed pickup of the same year WITH a title, and plans on switching the vin plate over to the truck he fixed up. This is totally illegal, and I told him he probably could have gotten the original vin number off the frame and used that, but he thinks this is the best way. It's all a can of worms, mainly because of hoodlums down the street who like to steal cars and re-sell them.

 

That VIN decoder is partly out to lunch, Ford did re-use the same codes etc for different engines, which is why you are coming up with a Power Stroke.
1FT= USA built, Ford branded, Complete truck
E = GVWR class E, 6,001-7000 lbs
F14 = F150 4x4 regular cab
F = 302 2bbl
8 = Check digit, just there, doesn't really mean anything
A = 1980 model year
That's where it all falls apart, the A code for model year would make it an 80, BUT, an 80 shouldn't have a 17 character VIN number. And, having a 3.8 makes it an 82 or 83 F100, no questions asked.
N = Norfolk Virginia plant.

There should be a VIN tag at the front LH side of the dash, up against the windshield. If the truck has had the windshield replaced, you may not be able to see it, as the 87+ trucks had it in a different location, and aftermarket windshields have the cutout in the tint in the wrong location for an 80-86 truck.
Your VIN should be along the lines of 1FTCF103?D(all the proper codes for your model year/engine F100.) It may also start with a 2, that denotes a truck built in Canada.

 

How the fools who registered it with the numbers on the title read what they did is beyond me!

Found in the windscreen -1FTEF14FNA25973

 

1 F T E F 1 4 F 8 D N A 2 5 9 7 3

 

Try this link here,

Free VIN Decoder and Vehicle Identification Number Check

Dang smiley codes here need changed.

 

This number does check out.

When you enter it just remove the extra spaces.

 

ARGH!

Got the year right.

The truck isn't an F150.

It (sadly) doesn't have a 302.

It doesn't have an 8ft bed.

I give up.

Thanks for the link

 

My mistake, I thought you said it was a full size.
I automatically think 8 ft bed for some reason.

Sounds like someone definitely made some sort of change with the truck then if nothing is matching.
You say you have a V-6. Maybe the engine was replaced ??
Possibly fenders were replaced and trim peices were not removed ??
Could even be the cab itself was replaced ??

Who knows for sure until you can contact the previous owner you bought it from.
How long have you owned this truck ??

Just a few ideas to help you here.

 

Here's why some VIN's do not match what is on the registration.

The left door gets damaged, a body shop or the owner gets a used door from a wrecking yard and installs it...FORGETTING to swap over the original Warranty Plate.

The Certification Label (CL) is glued on and cannot be swapped over, but...

New Certification Labels are available from Ford with all the correct info, contact your local dealer's parts department for assistance.

On all trucks, Bronco's, Econolines prior to 1981, the VIN is 11 digits. 1981 thru today, it's 17 digits.

Cars got 17 digit VIN's in 1980.

VIN's were found on Warranty Plates thru at least 1980. Some were also on the CL.

 

Only had it a few weeks now.

No sense in contacting the previous owner, he had the vehicle for 8 yrs and did nothing more than regularly maintain it and keep it clean. I could go through the hassle of getting in touch with the DVLA (who hold all info on registered vehicles, so far as previous owners) but I would imagine this to all have been changed prior to its life over here.

It doesn't change anything for the worse, just means whenever I need replacement parts I will have to do some comparative investigation before ordering. (Bad news for you guys as I will have even more questions!) I will inform the DVLA that they have the wrong VIN info though.

Any other clues as to where I can look in order to get any hints of its previous life? Have started an F100/F150 differences thread but I didn't expect what I am reading.

 

You can disable the smilie codes in the text. If you don't, everytime you type 8 & D together, you get this:

 

There is no plate at all, truck has been repainted (ex USAF or owned by someone in the USAF) from military type drab to the current shade of snot. VIN reading taken from plate inside windscreen. If I took this to Ford, I couldn't even park it in a customers' parking space

Oh.....and I had a moment of doubt. Could someone give me the exact bed measurements or are they spot on 6/8ft?

 

Yes, You can go to a site called Carfax, Link here,
CARFAX used car VIN number search, auto history check, vehicle history reports

You can buy a report on your vehicle for 30 bucks and it will have EVERYTHING in the report from when the truck was built.

According to Carfax mainpage, The truck IS an F-150, Not an F-100
So something was changed.

I'd be willing to bet that the previous owner blew up the 302 and replaced it with the V-6, threw on some different fenders, gave it a quick spray job and sold it.