I've got an older system by today's standards that still runs the game well by my standards.
You wouldn't be the first one to use more than one joystick at the same time. I have the stick part of my HotasX behind the screen. One fellow had a CH gameport throttle connected to a plastic food box containing the innards of the CH stick. You can even tear the stick apart and build an entirely different housing around the buttons and pots for a personalized controller.
Wow.. is there some way to save all your settings then
Radio shack use to have an assortment of project boxes for just such a mod. Not sure they still do but worth a google. You might even google the mod. Someone may have already done it like Bizman on the X