A few weeks ago I was inquiring about spokes for my 68 DT1. I got to thinking (dangerous sometimes) I thought I bought spokes years ago. After a lot of looking, I found the spokes. I purchased in 2010. Two sets. Both sets, the nipples are not plated zinc, just a yellow color. My 68 has spokes, and nipples both plated. Did some DT1's come with spoke nipples not plated? I don't know why they would do that. Any thoughts? Stan

The yellow color is Yellow Chromate which is done after zinc plating.

I bought a new DT1 in 68, but sure don't remember the spoke nipple color. I wonder if they all came with gold color spoke nipples? Another Triumph rider I see. I have a 61 TR5 C . Stan

I have 2 sets of (supposedly) NOS spokes set aside for my project also. I will look at them and see what color they are. I suspect they are a yellowish color, as I seem to recall them being that. It is entirely possible that the factory eliminated that finishing step at some point if they did not see any real benefit for the cost incurred.

I had 2 batches of hardware re-zinc coated for this project, but if the spoke nipples I have are not yellow chromate and just silver, then that may just be what the wheels wind up with. Not sure I could find someone to do that, and anything one might "spray" them with would surely come off during the lacing/truing operation.

There are two versions of the part number (214-25104) for the spoke set - one ending -00 and one ending -10. Maybe these reflect the difference in finish?

While I’ve always had my zinc plating professionally done Caswells has do it yourself kits including Yellow Chromate

caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodiz...nc-plating-kits.html

Here’s spoke nipples I had done.  I believe the factory finish was a bit softer in color. 

 

 

A couple of pics of the NOS set of spokes and nipples I have set aside for the project. The nipples are a yellow-ish color, hope they show up ok. These the -00 part number set, do not know what the difference is.

I think the Caswell would be the go-to for re-finishing the nipples if needed, judging from jgersh's photo.