Sterling #130 (aka American V8 ~ Chapter 2)

[nbb350]

What better time to test if the car will fit on the trailer than 1 hour before the start of the show?! lol

As expected, things didn't go as smoothly as I hoped. I turns out that the 1.5" lip of the trailer is too high for the Sterling - even if the ramp is only 4 degrees. The car got its first "chin trim". ouch.
My truck driver neighbor who loads a lot of equipment, suggested adding the boards on the ground to cancel out the 1.5" lip before the Sterling chin could contact the ramp again. It worked like a charm; I'll be replacing the loose boards with some old aluminum atv ramps. I'll also be building some "chock stops" that will keep me from putting the nose of the Sterling thru the trailer's front wind deflector.

After over 2 hours of messing around, I strapped one wheel down to the trailer, backed the whole trailer up beside the garage, and took my wife's Jeep to the car show. Turns out I dodged a bullet - the car show was FILTHY!! Blowing dust EVERYWHERE!

 

[nbb350]

I finally tackled the last biggest thing that was bugging me: the seat covers. Thanks to Google Lens, I found out that the seats are from an early 80s Mazda RX-7. Then I looked online for seat covers to buy and narrow 3" to match the seats. $500. Um, no. Next option: make them myself! (with a lot of help from my motherinlaw and her sewing skills).

First I pulled the passenger seat out of the car and stripped the narrowed grey velour-and-vinyl covers offl My mom narrowed the factory covers a long time ago, but they were never inteneded to be seen - I covered them with some cheapo stretch universal seat covers that never looked good. (see first pic) Then I used a razor blade to cut all the stitching on the Mazda seat covers and break them down into their individual pieces to use as templates on some lightweight vinyl from Hobby Lobby. We cut, I pinned, she sewed...and I'm please with the results! We won't be going into business making seat covers, but I think these turned out pretty well for our first attempt!

I also rebuilt the headrest to add 2" of foam in the front to help support my head and take some strain off my neck. I had been using a "lumbar pillow" strapped to the mazda headrest, but now was the time to make a permanent fix. I think those turned out Awesome!

 

[letterman7]

Hell yeah. Looks like you did the Mazda "foamectemy" on the seat bases, too. If you haven't, taking about an inch of foam out of the base helps immensely and doesn't affect the overall "sit" quality.

 

[farfegnubbin]

Looks nice. I think you can be proud of those. I bet the headrests are a LOT more comfortable now. Yeah, that’s a really common problem in these cars : A person has to lay the seat way back for headroom but then your head is leaned back and you’re looking at the underside of the roof unless you constantly hold your head forward. The Sterling slogan should probably be “Sterling: Keeping chiropractors in business since 1973.”

 

[nbb350]

Hell yeah. Looks like you did the Mazda "foamectemy" on the seat bases, too. If you haven't, taking about an inch of foam out of the base helps immensely and doesn't affect the overall "sit" quality.

I did the "foamectomy" a long time ago when I narrowed the mazda seat covers. BUT, when I put the new seat covers on, there wasn't any foam there to FILL them. Uh-oh. So either I had to make new seat covers that would be "flatter" to account for the missing foam, or add the 1" of foam back. Well, I added the foam back - BUT I used low-density "craft store" foam instead of the high-density factory foam, so it'll compress more easily when I sit on it. Hopefully that works...

 

[nbb350]

Friday afternoon I finally took the wifey out for a first-for-2026 two mile spin around the neighborhood...after watching a 2 minute video ad before I could use my GPS Speedometer app (and another 2 minute video before I could see the results of my Trip...guess what app just got Uninstalled and Replaced?!?)

After some seatback adjustments and headrest fine-tuning, I got the "new" seat in a position that works for me. Yeah, I had a stiff neck after driving it, but it didn't last long - I was fine the next morning. One thing I did add back was the lumbar pillow...my old back needs more support!

Saturday evening we went to our first car show of the season. Made it 24 miles roundtrip in 85F weather with no problems! (well, besides the typical oil drips that my car likes to leave behind...)

Granted, this show was kind of a let-down after a previous show I spectated at earlier Saturday; that show had NINE DeLoreans in attendance!!! THAT show will be going on my Calendar as an Annual Mandatory Attendance Event! https://www.facebook.com/BackToThe80sMN

 

[farfegnubbin]

Looking really good!

 

[letterman7]

Looks great!

 

[nbb350]

Nice day here yesterday so I finally got some pix of the trailer mods I made this spring.

Instead of using Boards to lift the nose of the Sterling enough to clear the trailer ramp, I added some "hooks" so some old aluminum atv ramps. These hook onto the rear structural support of the trailer so they can't move away from the trailer when the rear wheels spin against them. They line up with some Green paint for the proper wheel track spacing.

I also added a aluminum tube up front as a Wheel Stop so the Sterling nose doesn't go thru the trailer's front wind deflector.

Finally, I added a Green tab that is in line with the driver's headrest; that way if my head is centered on the headrest and the Green Tab is directly in front of me, I'll know I'm perfectly aligned with the trailer.

 

[letterman7]

There ya go. When I was trailering mine in an 18' enclosed trailer, even the ramp door and dovetail were too steep. I did pretty much what you did and found a cheap set of ATV ramps to cover that 'dip distance'. Once the car was in, I just slid the ramps under the car. Easy-peezy.

 

[nbb350]

If I putter around town at lower speeds (less than 2500 rpm), my alternator belt stays ON, but if I exceed those speeds it pops OFF - like when I take the Direct Route home from the local car show and cruise at 55-60mph. Alignment may not be PERFECT, but it's as good as it's going to get with the Jackshaft System. So all I can modify is the pulleys and belt.

I looked into using a 6-groove v-belt (aka "serpentine"), but can't source a belt SHORT enough for my application - like 15"-16". The alternator pulley would be easy enough to source since it's a standard option, but the jackshaft pulley would have to be fabricated from a pulley and a hub.

My cousin gave me another idea though: double up the current v-belts. I can source the double pulley for both the alternator and jackshaft easily enough - but I need to confirm that the belt spacing is the same on each pulley since they are from different manufacturers. I don't want the pulleys to have different spacing and end up eating TWO belts at once!

 

[Brett Proctor]

Maybe build some kind of a guide like dirt bikes have on their rear sprocket to help guide the chain on.

Just a thought, That is a very short belt

I had a Jeep that did the same thing. Never did figure out why. It was on the alternator also
and happened at highway speeds. A real pain when it happened at night. Lights would dim and start draining the battery

 

[Brett Proctor]

Maybe go with a narrower belt so it sits deeper in the pully

 

[Brett Proctor]

Why Your Alternator Belt Keeps Coming Off at High RPM​

If your alternator belt (or serpentine belt) keeps slipping off at high RPM, it’s usually not a simple belt failure — it’s a symptom of an underlying mechanical or alignment issue in the accessory drive system.

Common causes at high RPM:

1. Pulley misalignment or wear
   Even a slight angular or parallel misalignment between the crank, alternator, and other pulleys forces the belt to ride crookedly, concentrating stress on one side. This uneven load accelerates wear and can cause the belt to jump off under high torque Engineer Fix+1. Worn pulley bearings or grooves with pitting or burrs can also abrade the belt surface Engineer Fix.
2. Failing or weak belt tensioner
   At high RPM, sudden torque spikes can cause a loose belt to “whip” and lose contact with the pulley. A tensioner with a weak spring, seized pivot arm, or failing bearings can’t maintain proper tension, leading to belt slippage and ejection solutionsphere.blog. This is especially common in automatic tensioners.
3. Bracket or harmonic balancer flex
   Under high RPM, flexing of the crank pulley bracket or harmonic balancer can shift the belt’s position, causing it to ride against the frame or other components. This can happen even if the belt looks fine at idle Hot Rod Forum.
4. Component bearing failure
   A seized alternator or idler pulley bearing increases resistance, forcing the belt to slide over a stationary surface. This creates intense localized friction, melting and burning the belt material Engineer Fix+1.
5. Fluid contamination
   Oil or coolant leaks can soften EPDM belts, making them more prone to slipping and breaking at high load askmyauto.com+1.
6. Incorrect installation or routing
   If the belt is routed wrong or installed with improper tension, it may track poorly under high RPM, especially if pulleys are already slightly misaligned askmyauto.com.

How to diagnose and fix:

• Inspect all pulleys for smooth rotation, play, and groove condition.
• Check alignment with a straight edge or laser tool — even a few degrees off can cause high-RPM slippage Engineer Fix+1.
• Test the tensioner for smooth movement and correct spring tension.
• Inspect mounting brackets for flex or wear.
• Look for fluid leaks that could be softening the belt.
• Replace worn components (pulleys, tensioner, alternator) before re-installing the belt.

Key takeaway:
At high RPM, the belt is under maximum torque and stress. If the drive system isn’t perfectly aligned or tensioned, the belt will be more likely to slip or come off. Addressing pulley alignment, tensioner health, and mounting stability will prevent repeat failures Hot Rod Forum+3.

Some thigs to consider
#3 maybe

 

[letterman7]

Do you *need* a cogged belt? It helps in flexibility, but for one so short I don't think you need it. Judging by how torn up the edges are, that tells me it's not at all in the groove of the pulley. You're going to have to measure the groove of the shallow pulley and get a belt to match. Aramid belts tend to be a bit better in gripping. I've had good success buying from here: https://www.vbelts4less.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqBbNwuvMjc1xjQvrM197pnZu45sJFTFav5eArOaKfXE2WDLaex

 

[nbb350]

the cogged belt is simply the shortest non-FHP belt I could find.
I currently run an AX15; I see that vbelts4less carries those, but at 70% off from Amazon. Maybe I'll have to buy a dozen of them! lol

my new thought is to get pulleys with a wider groove so the belt sits down in there farther. I'm wondering if the belt "side" is wearing from rubbing on the outer edge of the pulley and the "cogged" part is de-laminating from the "belt" part. VERY hard to see underneath the car when it's running...too darn low to the ground!

 

[letterman7]

I've also bought from here: https://www.vbeltsupply.com/product...jLxgnHkW88wUEyUcaTS8taAedeIRB9ojqkMwa6zsbXZ0f

I was on the hunt for belts trying to fix a snow blower, so I have several dozen that "didn't quite work" but I figured at some point I might need one. Anyway... is the belt sitting high on either pulley? It should be something like 1/8" below the lip of either pulley. If you're running 1/2" wide, you might have to drop to 3/8" or try a metric size.