Brad Ubelhor is not as worried about gasoline prices as everyone else. After all, his 1981 Mercedes station wagon is fueled primarily by vegetable oil.

Ubelhor, a Newburgh resident and teacher at Boonville Junior High School, first learned three years ago that there were kits available that could, for about $800, turn the right kind of diesel engine into a veg-mobile. And when gasoline prices climbed late last year, he decided the time was right to order a kit for himself.

&#8220The more we drive it, the more economical it is," said Ubelhor. &#8220I figure it will pay for itself within a year."

Ubelhor first had to find the right kind of car, and he chose a fairly rare, yellow Mercedes station wagon. He then ordered the kit from Grease Car - one of a few companies that make similar converters - and over a span of a month or so found enough time to install it. By February of this year, the veg-burner was ready to go.

You'd probably never know, though, that the car is different unless you get a good whiff of the exhaust.

&#8220Once I tell people about the car, they have to know all about it," said Ubelhor. &#8220There is no difference with the power, and the engine runs a little bit quieter. Some people say it smells like French fries, but I don't think so. But it does smell different, it is kind of sweet and not stinky."

The car operates with a two-tank system. Ubelhor must start and shut down the car as it runs on diesel fuel - regular gasoline-powered internal combustion engines won't work. After the car is warmed, the vegetable oil is heated by water coolant from the engine. The oil is later superheated in the engine before it is burned.

&#8220Cool oil will ruin the engine," said Ubelhor. &#8220They recommend it be at least 150 degrees."

Actually, the move hasn't saved Ubelhor all that much money, if you count the time he's spent tracking down supplies of used vegetable oil and then filtering it. He was able to convince a pair of local restaurants to give him their spent oil, rather than paying to have it disposed of, and he makes weekly visits to pick up the containers.

Then, the oil must be allowed to settle and cool so that solids fall to the bottom. The oil is sent through a pre-filter, into a 55-gallon drum to heat it to get rid of any water, then through a big filter which purifies it to three microns.

&#8220With all of the time involved, it is more the principle of the thing," said Ubelhor. &#8220It is cleaner-burning, so I am not putting out all of the carbon-dioxide. I am not contributing to global-warming."

The problem now is that Ubelhor is collecting the used oil faster than he can use it. He made a recent trip to Pennsylvania with his wife, Teri, that was made almost entirely with vegetable oil - that's about 1,330 miles using 45 gallons of vegetable oil and 10 gallons of diesel fuel. But even with long trips and the daily use of the car he simply isn't using as much veg as he is collecting.

The only answer, of course, is another veg-mobile. Preferably a veg-truck.

&#8220I have so much oil, I have to get another vehicle," he said. &#8220At first, getting the oil was a bear, because some people didn't know what I was talking about. But now, I was just out looking for a diesel truck this morning."

If you are interested in the idea of a vegetable-powered car - technically, soy and peanut oils are actually the best while corn or canola oil will also work - you want to be sure before making any plans.

Firstly, the cost of maintaining the car itself is fairly high, unless you're an amateur mechanic, which Ubelhor is. Secondly, the time involved with collecting and filtering oil is substantial.

&#8220It is not something you just want to jump into," said Ubelhor. &#8220You have to do the research, and learn it backwards and forwards. If you think you might halfway want to do it, don't do it."