1983 Civic.... Need advice on alternator belt change

My son recently purchased a 1983 Honda Civic with a 1500 cc engine.
He lives in another city and called me last night because his
alternator belt broke. His experience with auto mechanics is limited
and, therefore, he called me for advice. I have a fair amount of
experience (as a shade tree type) working on Japanese automobiles. I
told him that installation of an alternator belt is usually a fairly
straightforward proposition. We tried to do this operation via
telephone. In attempting to put the belt around the crank and
alternator pulleys, he said that part of the alternator bracket
obstructed his ability to put the belt around both pulleys. As I am
unfamiliar with the setup, I would appreciate information on how the
belt may be installed...... and, how the navigate the obstructions.

Thanks, Al Kondo

 

Our '81 Accord was similar - there was a gap between the pulleys and the
frame rail, but it was slightly smaller than the thickness of the belt. You
can try moving the obstructing accessory back and forth on its adjusting
slider to maybe find a position where the belt will slide through, but
ultimately you have to just force the belt through.