Travolta's Firebird Fever
John Travolta's Customized Firebird

• Original year: 1979
• Company: Revell
• Scale: 1/25
• Designer: George Barris

Firebird Fever...the only car superstar John Travolta could drive! Working closely with George Barris, Travolta came up with the ultimate macho machine just for him. Like Travolta, Firebird Fever is a true performer with its big V-8 engine, wide tires, trick fender flares and custom "Fever" whale tail. Complete with eye-catching paint, this Pontiac is just the car for the star of "Grease", "Saturday Night Fever". and "Welcome Back Kotter", John Travolta!

Custom Designed by George Barris: Detailed model, just like John Travolta's real car! Detailed Pontiac 455 engine, custom interior with Recaora seats, custom flared fenders, Racemark steering wheel, T-roof with tinted panels, opening "Shaker" hood, rear "Whale tail" spoiler, Hooker side pipes, real rubber Firestone S/S radial tires, colorful "Fever" decals, custom instrument panel.

Dave's comments:

Developed at the peak of John's first popular wave, it's got the cheesy styling of the late 70s. I'm partial to Firebirds since I own one ('99), and I'm dropping a 455 engine like this one into my 73 GTO. Wonder if he still has this car today? For you die-hard Travolta fans, here is his big fan site. Travolta's come a long way since "Welcome Back Kotter"--speaking of which, here is the Sweathogs Dream Machine.

This is from Ron Fortunato, who used to work with both Barris and Roth:

I was at Barris Kustom when the "Travolta Fever" Firebird was built. Right next to it, George Barris built a duplicate Kustom Firebird at the same time, only with a high-rise hood scoop, and painted in kandy pearl gold and kandy brown pearl paint. This Barris Kustom was constructed for Steve Martin, for his use in the movie "The Jerk".

All of this caused me to get excited and buy a brand new black '80 Firebird, that I wish I still owned! I gave that new car to my wife,and years later to my daughter, who finally sold it! I also built one of those John Travolta kits back then, later giving it to my little daughter, who not surprisingly used it for a toy, which has long since vanished also! I wish I had that back too!