182RG Simmer Getting Deeper?

Hi, everyone! I'm Jim...and I'm becoming a simmaholic :-) (Sorry AA..had to)

I've been 'playing' at simming for awhile...have both 2004 and FSX, with FSX currently running on my sim machine. I'm finding it may be time to get serious about it. I've got the 'standard' sim on a table, with yoke, pedals, throttle, etc, and been using it mostly for procedures and instrument training using the Carendao 182RG, which I really like.

The next sounds like bragging, but I'm really not...I've been fortunate in life is all. I'm what I call a personal (real-life) pilot, my wife flies for a living, and we have a 182RG. I'm retired from IT and have a good grasp of PC's and networking (25 years or so).

I'm wanting to put together a sim pit with more realism specifically to replicate the RG and used for IFR procedures, re-currency training, previewing flights, etc (knowing of course it can't be logged as a pilot). I'm in the planning stages and struggling about how 'deep' to go. All the switches in all the right places?... just the Saitek panels?...just exactly how to implement.

I've been watching what you folks are doing here for awhile, and it's amazing!! I'm impressed with the dedication to detail, innovation, and inventiveness of this forum as a group. I commend you! I finally decided to register and jump on in.

I'll end my first post with a question to the techies...Is it possible.... and is there any advantage, to using non-airworthy real avionics in a sim? I may have a source, if there is.

Thanks!

Jim