I suspect it's a very old picture and that the Polara was quite rough before the surgery took place. Every panel on the drivers side looks to be caved in. The car probably would have been junked anyway.
Here's my personal version of "when you don't have a truck".
Not having a truck anymore sucks. I really miss my Suburban. Cantankerous 6.2, rust, and all.
Right now truck prices are crazy and anything in this part of the country that is affordable is rusty junk that belongs in a scrapyard, not up for sale for $4-5K. I'll have to do without for a while longer.