Sam's wheelchair van

My name is Sam. I am 15 1/2 and about to start my sophomore year of high school. I have a neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy and have been in a wheelchair since age 5. My friends are all starting to get their drivers licenses and cars to drive. I would love to be able to do the same someday. I'd like to have some independence in high school and be able to go out with my friends, but it's safe to assume that none of them will have cars that are wheelchair accessible. We had a minivan that I could have driven, but it has developed many issues and is no longer drivable. My parents are looking at other vans, but wheelchair vans that are not really old and don't have a ton of miles on them are very expensive. My mom found this neat old van that my dad is pretty excited about being able to fix up for me. Price wise, it is pretty affordable, but it will still require a lot of repairs and modifications to make it functional for me. It needs new tires, a paint job and some gauges replaced in the dash. We will also have to get a motor installed on the ramp doors so I can open them and get in and out by myself. Finally, we will have to have a hand control system installed in order for me to be able to drive it. It'll definitely take some time and money to get it ready for me to drive, but it's a fun project I can work on with my dad, and I'll be able to totally customize it the way that I want to get a very unique vehicle. If for some reason this vehicle doesn't work out, I guess I could always go back to the minivan idea. I appreciate you taking the time to read my story. If you feel inclined to donate to my cause, I would surely appreciate you help in making my teenage driving dream come true.