The garage · Personal

De Bug.Dutch for “the Bug”.

I'm Jason Pieters. I needed a car, so I'm building one, and using it to turn negatives into positives. I'm Indo, Dutch-Indonesian, and my dad was born in the Netherlands. I rebuilt a Bug with him once already, and this time the whole family is in.

Why build it

Negatives into positives.This is where my energy goes.

I needed a car. Instead of buying one, I'm building one, and making the build the thing I point my energy at.

I spend my days sitting and coding. This gets me up and working with my hands, on something I can touch and drive.

It's time with my wife and kids, not time away from them. Sundays stay family time.

And it's part of focusing on my health: moving, not sitting.

The whole picture, health, family and work, lives at jasonpieters.ai. This site sticks to the car and the build, and the family that's part of it.

The crew

Who's in the garage.My wife and kids first, then Dad, my brothers and everyone else.

Core crew · builder, painter, wiring, code

Jason Pieters

Rebuilt a Bug with his dad once before, engine and all.

Core crew

My wife

The reason for the 12–15 hour rule. On camera only when she wants to be.

Core crew

Our kids

First names only, safety gear on, and clear of grinding, welding and paint.

The original Bug builder

Dad

The first rebuild was with him.

Brothers · Jeff runs Clutch and Color

My brothers

Jeff helps build, film and edit, and his magazine runs a recurring column.

Extended family

Everyone else

Whoever drops by the garage, on camera only with their OK.

House rules

The schedule.Built around a family, not the other way round.

12–15 hours a week

Filming and writing included.

Sundays are family time

No garage, no editing.

Husband and dad first

The car waits. The family doesn't.

Honest about money

Every number has a source or says it's an estimate.

jasonpieters.ai →Why “DeBug” →